Danganronpa: Last Hurrah! (SYOC CLOSED)
by mandipokemon
Summary: There is an end in everything. As time passes by, the end will come sooner. However in this new killing game, 16 ultimates trapped in a school find it hard to believe there will be an end to their misery. As they attempt to escape from this hellhole, what secrets will they unearth? Will they be able to put an end to this? Or will they fail to get an ending to their twisted story?
1. Prologue 1

The room was small and messy. Cluttered on a big desk were towering stacks of files. Newspaper articles were just lying on the floor waiting to be stepped on by someone. The only computer in the room was on playing the same video over and over again. Near the door was a couch dull of color. Beside it was a plant wilting with its leaves falling to the ground.

At the center of this suffocating room was a person sitting on a black office chair uncomfortable but mostly angry. As every second of the video went by, their frustration grew more and more. Clenching their jaw, they just sat there and continued watching until they had enough of it.

They stood up and unplugged the computer from the socket. After that, they sat down and pounded their left fist onto the table causing the stack of files to fall onto the floor. The files were scattered adding to the room's disorderliness.

After a few minutes, the person took a deep breath and finally calmed down. On the desk was a framed picture. They took it and stared at it.

"Surrender my ass!" They shouted. They put down the picture onto the desk and started talking to himself.

"We did so much hard work for nothing! Nothing!"

They started rotating on their chair and started laughing hysterically like a maniac on a roller coaster. Their laugh was growing louder and louder as they spun faster and faster. It became more frightening by the second until they stopped.

They stopped with their eyes dead set on the picture. Then, they shook their head and let out a small giggle. They grabbed it and talked to it.

"If you think I will just watch, you are dead wrong. If this is really ending, then I will make sure this will end on my terms and my terms alone!"

* * *

**Rules for SYOC:**

**1\. No Mary Sues or Gary Stus.**

**2\. Submit your OCs through pm ONLY. No review submissions.**

**3\. No recycling of characters. Please send me characters that have not been used in any stories before unless the story was discontinued for two years already. You can send me rejected OCs. Who knows, maybe they won't be rejected anymore?**

**4\. You can submit up to 5 OCs but do not expect for me to accept all of them. Most likely, I will accept 2 out of 5 OCs**

**5\. Anything with * is not required to be filled up but the rest are mandatory.**

**6\. No crazy talents like ultimate weeb. Be creative but sensible.**

**7\. Please keep in mind this story is set in Japan. If their nationality is not Japanese, give a good reason as to why they are not Japanese.**

**8\. Title this form 'Last Hurrah! - [Name, Talent]' when you send it to me.**

**9\. The deadline will be on July 13, 2019. If I need more time, I will update the deadline.**

**10\. Ask me if you have any questions. I will answer them as quickly as possible.**

* * *

Submission Form

-Basics-

Name:

Talent:

Age:

Sex: (Male, Female, Non-binary)

Gender: (I am okay with anything)

Nationality:

Ethnicity: (The story is based in Japan so it would be much appreciated if the character is Japanese but if not, give an explanation)

Height: (In feet and inches)

Weight: (In pounds)

Birthday:

-Appearance-

Physical Body: (What is their skin tone, body type, eye color, hair color, hairstyle? Be descriptive)

Daily Clothing:

Swimwear:

Underwear:

-Health-

Allergies*:

Mental Health: (Are they sane? Do they have any mental disorder? If so, be descriptive of how it deteriorates the character.)

Physical Health: (How is their stamina? Are they strong? Do they have medical conditions such as asthma?)

-Personality-

Outward Personality: (Be descriptive)

Inward Personality: (Be descriptive. Your character does not need to have a secret identity or personality. This is intended to help me understand how they act without anyone.)

Likes: (At least 5)

Dislikes: (At least 5)

Habits/Mannerisms: (Any quirks they do? Do they bite their nails? Do they tuck their hair behind their ears when flirty?)

Hobbies: (At least 5)

Pet Peeve*:

Biggest Fear*:

The Way They Keep Secrets: (Can they keep secrets? What do they do that suggests they are lying? Can they fool anyone when lying? Will they out a secret mistakenly?)

Speech: (How do they sound? What is their pacing of words? I want a description, not a voice actor.)

Quotes: (At least 4. Include their catchphrase and how they use them if they have one.)

Outlook on Life*:

Outlook on Death*:

People they like:

People they hate:

Self-Image: (How do they see themselves?)

Romantic Interests*: (Are they interested in finding their soul mate? What are their types?)

-History-

Background Story: (Be as detailed as possible. Tell me how their family was. Did they have friends? Were they a loner? Did a tragedy struck them? Were they living happily? How did they find out about their talent? How were they accepted to an Ultimate Academy?)

Achievements: (This must at least be connected to their talent.)

Legacy: (Will they leave anything in their field that will make their names remembered in history?)

Reputation: (Are they a celebrity? A hometown hero? A hometown shame? Are they only known to few people and why?)

Secrets: (This can range from heavy to petty)

Family: (You can list here anyone whom they consider family and not necessarily their blood relatives but I would love to find out their biological family.)

Friends*:

Enemies*:

Important Objects to Them:

Anything of Their Loved Ones: (Any belongings of their loved ones that will remind them of their loved ones.)

-Killing Game-

Reaction to Killing Game:

Behavior before the First Murder:

Behavior after the First Murder:

Reaction To Body Discovery Announcement:

Reaction To Dead Body:

Role In Investigation:

Role In Trial:

Reaction When Accused:

Reaction to Execution:

Reaction in Execution:

Motive to Kill: (Not necessarily a motive like in the games but a reason for them to kill. If you can give two, that'd be great.)

Execution Ideas*: (Make sure it is connected to their talent or specific trait. Be cohesive and coherent with the flow of the execution. Be creative.)

-Character Role-

Character Role: (What is their role?)

Character Arc: (How do you think I can show their growth more?)

Free Time Events: (Any topic they will talk about with the protagonist. At least three.)

Justification for Survivor:

Justification for Victim:

Justification for Killer:

Justification for Mastermind:

Preferred Fate of the Character: (Take note I will take this as a suggestion only. If you suggest them as a survivor and I killed them in the story, don't be mad at me.)

Miscellaneous: (Anything I forgot?)

* * *

Do not expect a lot from this story. I already have a plan on how this story will go but I am not the best author. I will try my best though since I know I think this story is worth writing. I will keep everyone updated with the talents submitted and the genders. Do not expect quick updates as well. I will try to update 1 chapter per 2 weeks after the roster is finished. I think that is the best I can do to make a quality fan fiction.

Anyways, good luck to all of us.

* * *

Official Roster:

Male

1\. Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Ultimate Mathematician

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Female

1\. Ultimate Environmentalist

2\. Ultimate Toymaker

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

* * *

Submitted Genders:

Male x16

Female x18

Non-Binary x2

Submitted Talents:

Ultimate Ballerina x1

Ultimate Counselor x1

Ultimate Painter x1

Ultimate Hitman x1

Ultimate Defense Attorney x1

Ultimate Lifeguard x1

Ultimate Mixed Martial Artist x1

Ultimate Cyborg x1

Ultimate Comic Illustrator x1

Ultimate MMA Fighter x1

Ultimate Astronomer ×1

Ultimate Food Critic ×1

Ultimate Tact ×1

Ultimate Ventriloquist ×1

Ultimate Doomsday Prepper x1

Ultimate Accordionist x1

Ultimate Composer x1

Ultimate Fencer x1

Ultimate Detective x1

Ultimate Hairstylist x1

Ultimate Psychologist x1

Ultimate Video Game Developer x1

Ultimate Mythologist x1

Ultimate Baker x1

Ultimate Military Aviator x1

Ultimate Ninja x1

Ultimate Aerial Daredevil x1

Ultimate Sharpshooter x1

Ultimate Cyclist x1

Ultimate Rocker x1

Ultimate Supernatural Novelist x1

Ultimate Serial Killer x1

Ultimate Museum Curator x1

Ultimate Stage Magician x1

Ultimate Historian x1

Ultimate Executioner x1


	2. Prologue 2

It was ten in the morning and the sun has already risen. Its light was beaming through windows of countless houses and buildings. Working men and women were buzzing to do their jobs whether inside an air-conditioned building or outside under the scorching heat of the sun. Children were playing outdoors getting themselves dirty without any care of the world. Students were inside their schools trying to survive from their teachers' commands.

It was almost midday. Some are almost done with their tasks but still full of energy while others are already drained from their daily activities wishing to lay on their bed and sleep. Most people had already risen from their comfortable beds to start their day. However, there are still some lying on their bed hugging their soft pillow unbothered by anything.

A young man was still asleep in his messy room. He was laying on his plush king-sized bed wrapped by his grey cotton fleece blanket. The AC of his room was turned on removing any uncomfortable, stinging heat. The wide, black curtains were blocking any light from the outside that might wake him up from his long slumber. The lad was hugging a white, soft pillow tightly.

The young man was deep in his sleep. It was as if nothing can wake him up.

After a few minutes, a deafening noise started ringing non-stop. It was coming from an alarm clock on the young man's bedside table. With the loud volume of the alarm, it was impossible for anyone to stay asleep, even for the young man.

The young man started to move sluggishly rolling on his bed. He tried to block the noise by covering his ears with the pillow he was hugging a while ago. However, it was impossible to block the alarm with just some pillow. Eventually, he gave up on attempting to stay asleep. Quickly, he started looking for his alarm clock blindly. He reached out his right hand onto his bedside table. Touching everything on his table, he finally found his alarm clock. He pressed on it and the ringing stopped.

He paused for a moment in silence. Then, he finally got out of his bed. He unwrapped himself from his warm blanket and sat down on the side of his bed. In his hands was his now quiet alarm clock. He stared at it and put it back on to his bedside table.

It was already quarter to eleven yet it did not affect his pace at all. He stood up and slipped into his blue slippers and went to his room's bathroom to do his business and brush his teeth. Also, he washed his face as well to get rid of the gunk in his eyes. He took the blue face towel near the porcelain sink and wiped his face with it. After that, he looked at his reflection on the mirror to see if he still needed to wash off dirt on his face.

In the mirror, the young man saw himself—a lanky man with a fair, almost pale, skin tone. He had dreamy almond-shaped, blue eyes. Freckles were apparent around his nose. His jawline is chiseled. His jet-black hair cut into a taper fade cut was still unkempt from sleeping. Combing his hair, his good looks became more apparent.

After that, he walked out of his untidy room and into the kitchen. He opened a cabinet and took out a box of his favorite cereal. Then, he took a metal spoon and a white bowl from the stainless steel dish rack. He went to the fridge to get cold milk for his breakfast. He closed the fridge and stopped.

He noticed a note was stuck onto the fridge with a heart-shaped magnet. He looked at it quietly before going back to the counter where he put his cereal and his utensils.

Written on the note was:

"Nao, I will not be back at the house until the weekend. I restocked the fridge. I also left some money. If you need anything, call me. -Dad"

The young man's name is Nao Hisoka. Nao is under the care of his father who is often not at home because of his job. Because of this, it became normal to Nao waking up in the morning finding out he is alone and will be alone for a couple of days. Whenever his father will be gone, he would find a note on the fridge saying his father will be gone. Because of his father's job, a cycle was made. Nao would find a note on the fridge, live without his dad for days, be surprised to see his father asleep on the couch in the living room, and be gone after a couple of hours.

Seeing the presence of a note on the fridge, Nao immediately knew what it was for and did not even bother to read it. He went back to assembling his first meal for the day. He poured into the bowl the cold milk first. Then, he added the right amount of cereal for him. He took the bowl and sat on top of the counter beside the box of cereals.

As he was eating, he was staring at the clock beside the fridge. In his mind, he was planning on what to do for the day. _I need to go to school to turn in my worksheets in math. Other than that, there is no reason for me to stay at school. _He thought to himself after swallowing his fifth spoonful of cereals.

Nao is not fond of attending school. He hates it. The mere thought of sitting inside a classroom bothers him so much. Because of this, he only attends school when there is a quiz to answer, a project to pass, or a handout to submit. Most of the time, he is at home doing whatever he wanted to do.

_I should go to school first. Then, I can stay at home and waste the day. _He made up his mind. His plan was to go to school first and then go home to do nothing. He finished his bowl of cereal, washed the bowl, and put the cereal box back in the cabinet where he took it.

He went to his room to prepare for going to school. He took a long, peaceful shower. Then, he dried himself with his bath towel. He took his uniform out of his closet and put it on. He buttoned his uniform. He combed his hair, losing his bed head. He jammed his worksheets inside his empty white string bag. Also, he took his phone and wallet with him. Before leaving his house, he took the money his dad left with him.

He started walking in the heat of the sun. With him was an umbrella providing him shade to hide in. Even though his house is very near to his school, he hated walking to school.

_I am starting to sweat. Why is it so hot? This is too much work for math. After this, I will definitely go back home and take a bath._

The heat was unbearable for him. He hates the sunny weather so much.

Nao continued walking under the scorching sun. A few moments later, he has arrived at school. It was silent like a ghost town. Students were quietly listening to their teachers. Some were focused on learning while others are slowly falling asleep. The corridors were empty. No one was roaming around the school—except for Nao.

Nao strolled down the hallways. His steps were soft and soundless to avoid interrupting ongoing classes. Passing by every classroom there was, he heard every lecture happening. There was a teacher forcing a student to read a passage from Oh Captain, My Captain. Next to that class was a dull math class discussing integrals. Every class was informative but nothing captured the attention of Nao. He did not stop to listen. All he did was go on until he reached the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was a spacious room. It was filled with dozens of tables and chairs. The food display was being filled with lunch by the lunch lady. There were people wiping the tables. Some were sweeping, making sure the cafeteria was clean before the students arrive.

In the middle of this enormous area was Nao sitting on a chair fiddling with his phone. He was playing games on his phone to kill time. It was only a few minutes until lunch break. Nao was waiting for the bell to ring and for students to come flooding the room. He wanted to pass the handout during lunch break.

_Kriiiing…kriiiing…kriiiing…_

The bell finally rang signaling the start of the lunch. Students came rushing in the cafeteria to be first in line. On the other hand, Nao was dawdling. He slowly stood up from where he was sitting and pushed the chair back. Walking towards the door, he caught the attention of everyone near him. People were whispering about him. Some were admiring his face while others were curious why he has appeared again and for how long he will stay in school.

Nao has garnered a reputation for his looks and his skipping habits. He would be gone for days and attend school to answer a test and get a perfect score for it. No matter how much he skipped, he has always gotten high marks because of his stock knowledge and projects.

_Why am I such a big deal? It is not like I am the only one who skips classes. I am pretty sure they want to cut classes too. Why don't they just do it?_

Disregarding everyone's whispers about him, he continued walking to the faculty room. He stopped in front of the door and knocked on it three times. Slowly, he opened the door. Greeting him were his teachers' faces painted with surprise. Nao did not wait for anyone to invite him in and went inside and closed the door. He went straight to his math teacher. Quickly, he took out the worksheets from his bag and gave it to him.

After giving his worksheets, he started walking to the door when his adviser stopped him.

"Mr. Hisoka, wait!" His teacher shouted. The teacher went to him to tell him something.

"Mr. Hisoka, come with me."

"Why sir?" Nao was confused with what was happening. This has never happened before to him. His teachers would act like he does not exist.

"It is not about your excessive skipping. Please follow me."

Nao was still unsure of what was happening. He followed his teacher. _If I am not in trouble for cutting classes, then what is this all about? Other than skipping classes, I have not done any serious offense. I just want to go home. _The uncertainty was making him uncomfortable. He kept on thinking of a reason for him to be called like this. Tailing his teacher, he had no idea where they were going.

"Sir, where are we going?"

"To the principal's office."

_Wait, what? The principal's office! Am I finally getting expelled? They have not even given me a warning. _

Moments later, they stopped in front of the principal's office. His teacher was about to grab the doorknob. Suddenly, Nao extended his left arm stopping his adviser from opening the door. The teacher was surprised by Nao's action.

"What are you doing?"

"Before we go inside, I think I need to know why I am being brought here."

"Mr. Hisoka, let me open the door!"

"No. Tell me first why I am here?" Nao was starting to get frustrated with his teacher. So was his teacher with him.

"I don't know either. The principal told me to bring you here when you finally decide to show up."

Nao was shocked to discover his teacher had no clue as well. _This must be serious. I hope this will not take too long. _Nao put down his arm and let his teacher open the door. His adviser knocked on the door and opened it slowly. The teacher went in first and Nao waited outside. While Nao was standing outside of the principal's office, he could hear their conversation.

"Madam, Nao is outside."

"Okay bring him in."

"Okay, madam."

Nao was readying himself to enter the room when he suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Finally! I will be able to meet Nao Hisoka. It has been weeks since I wanted to get in touch with him."

The statement of the unknown person raised a lot of questions. _Who is he? How did he know me? Why does he know me? What does he want from me? What will happen to me? _His mind was racing from the countless unanswered queries. His teacher came out and fetched him. Nao promptly followed him inside.

As he entered the room, his eyes landed onto the mystery man who was sitting on the couch. The man was in white shirtsleeves and black slacks. He had a red-and-black necktie and black suspenders. For his footwear, he had black leather shoes. Even though they were inside, he was wearing a black fedora. Beside him were a suitcase and a rolled up newspaper. In his hand was a white envelope.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Kouka. Why am I here?" Nao quickly asked straightforwardly.

"Mr. Hisoka, please meet Mr.—"

_What was his name? All I heard was a buzz. Is there something wrong with my ears? Nobody looks bothered by it. It must be just me._

"Hello, sir." Nao greeted the man courteously.

"Hello, Nao Hisoka."

"Mr. Hisoka, he has been trying to contact you for a very important announcement. He asked us to help him give you the news."

"What news?" Nao was lost with everything that was happening.

The man started speaking to explain what was happening. "I am a talent scout for Hope's Peak Academy. You, Nao Hisoka, have managed to catch the attention of the school."

_How? I don't do anything._

"I was tasked to see whether or not we are right about you."

_Okay?_

"I am guessing you were wrong." Nao jokingly butted in.

"Nope, we were right about you. Congrats, you are officially an ultimate!"

"Hahahahahahaha! This is too much! Aah, you guys are hilarious! Is this a prank?" Nao laughed at the thought of being an ultimate. He could not believe it knowing he has not done anything particularly talented. He was just standing there in the middle of the room laughing hysterically.

"This is not a prank Nao Hisoka. You are chosen as an ultimate." The man stopped Nao from laughing. He knew it was serious. He could tell by looking at their faces. Still, he could not imagine himself as an ultimate. _Me, an ultimate? Ultimate of what? Slacking around?_

Nao composed himself. He stood up straight and looked at the man seriously. "I am an ultimate?"

"Nao Hisoka, you are the Ultimate N.E.E.T."

Nao was shocked with the title given to him. It only occurred to him that his action is of a N.E.E.T., someone who slacks around and is unemployed, not in training or in education, or at least is on the verge of expulsion. It was his first time to hear someone tell him that. _A N.E.E.T.? That is interesting. I am not technically a N.E.E.T. though. But, why would my talent be something of worth to a prestigious school like Hope's Peak? It is not like I can save the environment or formulate a new theorem with my supposed talent. Why bother fine-tuning it? _Nao was dumbfounded and was staring blankly at the man.

As he was staring at the man, he noticed he cannot recognize his face. It was foggy. Nothing was registering in his mind. It was just a haze; a blur; a faceless head. _What is happening? Why can't I identify a face? Something is wrong._

The strange man held out his hand with the envelope he was holding earlier. "Take this. This will explain everything you need to know to survive Hope's Peak Academy." Nao took it and, suddenly, everything became a haze. The room, the furniture, everyone—It was fuzzy. Nao cannot comprehend what was happening. He knew the man was still talking but all his words became white noise to Nao. He attempted to understand what was happening. Everything was changing so fast. And then, it just stopped. The world was black. It was dead silent. Nao felt like he was floating in space unbounded by gravity. It was puzzling to him what just happened. Unsure of what to do next, Nao stared at the vast darkness.

Out of nowhere, a ray of light hit his eyes. The blinding flash made him close his eyes. It was obnoxiously bright. As seconds passed, it became bearable for Nao to open his eyes. To his surprise, he was in an unknown room lying on a bed with an opened tablet on the bedside table with words displayed on the screen.

* * *

**Nao Hisoka**

**Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'11"**

**Weight: 139 lbs**

**Likes: Video Games, Coffee Jelly, Hoodies**

**Dislikes: Classes, Chemistry, Chores**

* * *

I am happy to introduce to all of you the story's protagonist, Nao Hisoka, the Ultimate N.E.E.T. The story will be following how Nao perceives the killing game. The story will also be in a third-person point of view. Hopefully, this prologue answers some of your questions about the story.

I want to also announce that the **deadline for the SYOC is moved to July 13, 2019**. With the current rate of the flow of submission, I think it is impossible to create an amazing cast if I stick with the original deadline. Hopefully, I get more submissions as days come by. Please send as many OC as you want. I want to really get as many OC as possible to create a memorable cast. If I need more time to assemble a great cast, I will definitely move the deadline again. If you have any questions regarding the form, please do not hesitate to ask me. I will try to answer them as fast as I can.

This might probably be the last prologue that is heavily plot-driven that I will post. If I post a new prologue, it might be just short bits like a teaser. However, this does not mean those teasers will not have big significance. I will try to give another prologue that is as plot-driven as this though.

I am also thinking of getting my story beta-read. If there are people interested in becoming a beta-reader for my story, please PM me. The beta-reading might start after I announce the official cast.

I would also love to hear what you think about the story so far so I can improve and give you a quality story. I would also love to hear your opinion about the plot so far.

That is pretty much it. Thank you for reading!


	3. Prologue 3

It has been years since the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in history. It has affected everyone worldwide. Mass suicide occurred left and right. People were butchered at homes like pigs in a slaughterhouse. Gunfires were heard in every street like carolers during Christmas time. Children were forced to see their parents fight to the death. Many starved due to the lack of food brought on by the chaos.

These weren't just awful and tragic. This was truly the most awful and most tragic. It was vile and disgusting. No one can surely stomach the incident. Even a serial killer will surely throw up by just seeing how everything happened like it was normal. No! It was not normal to see blood drip in every block and alleyway.

It was absurd. The phenomenon was inanely preposterous. Strangely enough, what started this eerie turn of events were high school students. They were just students with a weird bear mascot. Nobody in their right minds could have thought this might happen. But, it did. It happened and everyone watched as the world turned red.

These high school students were not just ordinary students. They were ultimates. They were the cream of the crop. They were the piece de resistance of society. They were the products of a great community. They were looked up to by many. They were what people revolved around. They were gods in their fields. They were untouchable.

They were supposed to be perfect; untouchable; invincible. Yet, they weren't. They fell into despair the hardest. They were consumed by the darkness wholly and succumbed to it easily. They embraced and wore it like a cloak stained with stark red blood.

They became the ultimate despairs. They brought with them their great despair every path they took. Their wrath was felt by anyone they pass by. No one was safe from their despair. They spread it like an incurable plague infecting everyone who caught it.

This terrifying group was led by a more terrifying woman named Junko Enoshima. A deranged woman she was. Getting bored with life due to her great analytical prowess, she started this clumsy mess. She orchestrated this event with little help. It became a success for her. She achieved her goal to share despair to the world. In the end, she died with heavy tasteful despair in her heart.

With her defeat, the ultimate despairs became the remnants of despair. They continued spreading despair without their beloved Junko. It was alright. Before her fateful demise, her loyal subjects already knew what to do. All they had to do was to keep the tragedy ongoing. In their own ways, they continued doing so.

But not long, they were captured and defeated. The personifications of despairs were cured of despair. They had their moment of clarity. They completely understood that this is not how the world should be. From a long slumber, they woke up to reality. Before it was too late, they did what they had to do. They took the world's despair on their shoulders and vanished with it.

Despair vanished. It went away and disappeared. It was like a breeze. People knew it passed by. But after that, it did not leave any trace. It was like the blood painted thick on the walls evaporated into thin air and all of the corpses were eaten by the ground. Life went back to normal one day at a time. It went back to the way it was —mundane.

The war between hope and despair ended. Hope won over despair. Great hope was born out of the descent of despair. Nobody feared it. Everyone trusts that hope will pull them out of despair if they ever plummet to that direction again.

Everyone acts like hope is their savior and will be their savior if it ever something bad happens to it. It seemed indestructible but it is not. Hope is fragile like a glass; easy to shatter into million tiny pieces. Without any proper way to keep everything in check, hope will stay fragile.

The tragedy went on because of the remnants of despair. They continued it. They made it sure that despair was not going to fold to hope easily. They were there to keep everything in check. They were the reason why the event went on as long as it did.

We need people to serve as beacons of hope. We need people who will make sure hope is still intact. We need people who are as devoted to hope as the remnants of despair were devoted to despair. We need people who will make sure hope will go on. We need people who will make sure the hope the world found will not end.

We need remnants of hope.

* * *

Hello! It's me again with another prologue. It is more of like a short teaser and is less plot-driven than the previous prologue. With this prologue, I want to answer some of your possible questions about this fanfic of mine. Hopefully, it answered some.

Regarding the submissions, I have not really gotten as many as I want yet. Don't worry! I am still waiting patiently for your submissions. Take your time. Submit as many OCs as you want. I will gladly read them all. I am hoping I get a decent number of submissions to create a solid cast. If you have any questions about the SYOC form, please do not hesitate to ask me. I will answer them as quick as I could.

I also want to discuss some things about the submissions. I would prefer to get Japanese characters since the story is based in Japan. Right now, the majority of the characters are foreigners. For me, it is a bit jarring if the cast will be composed mostly of foreigners. This does not mean I will not accept foreigners but expect that I will only accept very few foreigners.

I also want to tell you that **the cover image for this story has been updated** to its official cover image. The image is made by my friend **mjuliah_20**. You can **find her beautiful artworks on Instagram**. I always thought that the cover image is so important so I wanted a cover image that has a huge significance to the story.

I also want to announce that **I have created a discord server for my story**. If you want to hang out there and discuss things including my story, all you have to do is join. **The link is on my profile**. You can check it out there.

That is it for now. I will keep posting short teasers like this until the deadline is over. With those teasers will be announcements.

Thank you for reading and good luck to all of us!


	4. Prologue 4

Two people were standing still in the middle of a room. The tension in the air was so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Neither of them was moving. They were just silently looking at each other anticipating each other's next move. They were eyeing each other trying to predict the other person's next move.

One of them was in front of the door. They were holding a gun in their right hand. The person without a gun was backed up against the wall.

The person without a gun was bothered by this. They knew they were in some sort of trouble. They knew they had to be cautious so that the person with the gun will not shoot them.

They had nowhere to run. On their left was a desk with books about Greek literature scattered. A book was opened on a page that caught their attention. It gave them an idea. They knew it was the only thing they can do right now.

They took a step forward and started talking.

"Do you know the story of Icarus, the one who flew too close to the sun? He was the worst! Just because he could fly, he forgot his father's warning. 'Don't go too close to the sun or your wings will melt.' His father like mentioned it multiple times but Icarus was like 'Whatever! I can fucking fly. I know what the fuck I am doing dad. I'm old enough to take care of myself.' And before he knew it, his wings started to melt just like what his father told him. I'm pretty sure as he was falling for his doom, in his mind he was like 'Shit! I messed up, big time! My dad was right! Damnit!' Then, he just flops into the sea and drowns."

The person with the gun was confused with what the other person is trying to say. The bafflement was painted on their face. Because of this, the other person continued with the hope of reasoning with the person with the gun.

"From this story, a saying was born. 'Don't fly too close to the fucking sun.' Know your limits. If someone tells you this is it, accept it. Do not complicate it. Use your time to be productive. Start something new. End what needs to end. Some things are best left ended and untouched."

Other than books, there were DVDs stacked together. One DVD caught the attention of the person without the gun. They continued talking with this DVD in their mind.

"I wish the producers of Mean Girls 2 knew this. If they just left the movie as it was, they would not have lost money. Tina Fey was not able to commit to writing the screenplay. That should have been enough to make them 'Okay, let us stop this nonsense.'"

After this, a Disney movie came into their mind when they saw their Mickey Mouse stuffed toy. They knew this can help them make their point.

"Pocahontas is a victim of this as well. It was okay. I mean who could forget 'Colors of the Wind'! Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? The melody was so good! It won countless awards mostly because of the song. It was a box office hit criticized by many but Disney had to make a sequel to an already divisive movie. Not learning from their previous mistakes, they have angered more people with the portrayal of Pocahontas who cannot live with a man. She was supposed to be a strong, independent woman like Beyonce."

Above the desk was a poster of a video game. This gave them the idea to talk about this next.

"And, who could forget Pac-man 2? You. Why? Because it was bad. It was supposed to be a sequel to the original iconic arcade game but it just flopped. The makers thought it was a great idea to make a sequel to an already great game. They gave him legs! Legs! Pac-man is a circle and should stay as a circle. The pill muncher should just keep munching pills."

The person holding the gun was annoyed at this point. They shouted at the other person stopping them from talking. They asked them to get to their point. They iterated that they did not have the time to listen to a foolish and desperate attempt to stop them.

"Hmm! What? My point?"

The person with the gun was fuming with anger at this time. They had enough of what they consider stupidity.

"Well, my point is that let's just stop this already. Everyone has-"

The person with the gun shot the other person cutting them off from their speech. The person was hit on their neck. Blood did not start gushing out of the person's neck. It was not a bullet that hit them. Instead, it was a dart.

"Ouch! A tranquilizer? Really? Did you…rea…lly…have…to…"

The person backed up against the wall became dizzy falling to the ground. They tried to resist falling asleep but the tranquilizer was too strong. They blinked as the person with the gun walked towards them. Every step caused them to panic inside. They tried to get away but they cannot do anything. They were defenseless. All they could do was close their eyes and have their fate rest in the other person's hands.

* * *

Hello guys! It is officially one month left before the deadline for submission ends! If you are planning to submit, submit before the deadline.

I would like to talk about the rate of submissions. It has been still slow but I am still hoping to get more submissions in the coming days since the submission is nearing to its end. Do not worry. I am waiting patiently for your submissions. Take as much time as you need before the submission ends. Submit as many as you want to!

I would like to talk about OCs. I have been receiving a lot of child-looking OCs. Even though I am not prohibiting anyone to submit to me childlike OCs, I would prefer to receive other varieties. I want everyone in the cast to look varied.

I would also like to talk about canon talents. You can send me characters with canon talent. However, please explain to me how they got that title from the previous title holder. Since this is set in the Danganronpa timeline, we will be following their rule of "only one person shall be holder of a title forever except for Ultimate School President." For example, if you are planning to send an Ultimate Gambler, explain in the form how they got the title from Celeste.

I am also in need of female Japanese characters since most of them are foreigners right now. I am not discouraging you to send foreigners especially female foreigners but I would like to tell you that I will be accepting fewer foreigners due to the setting of the story.

I have not requested certain character types since I have a good mix right now of the good, the bad, and the morally ambiguous. But, I would give suggestions of character traits that I have seen seldom or not yet. These traits are:

1\. People who are vain.

2\. People with an 8th-grade syndrome.

3\. People who are overly religious.

4\. People who have hardcore trust issues.

5\. People with a strong sense of justice.

6\. People with a twisted sense of morals.

7\. People who are not shy but try to blend in the background.

8\. People who are father-figure.

9\. People who are a stickler to rules.

10\. People who are easy to change sides.

11\. People who are very shallow.

12\. People who are very needy.

13\. People who are willing to mess with everyone's life.

14\. People who love to gossip.

These are just suggestions and will not make a character a priority for having these traits when it comes to casting. That is all of the character types I could think of I have not seen much.

That is all for now. If you want to talk about this fanfic and other stuff, join the discord server I have created. The link is on my profile.

I would love to hear your opinions so far of the story to know what I can improve on.

That is all! Thank you for reading and good luck to all of us!


	5. Prologue 5

**Cerberus, Guard Dog of Hell**

**? ? ?**

**The Ultimate ? ? ? Execution**

**-Used-**

* * *

An unconscious man was in the middle of what appears to be a courtroom. He was bounded to a wooden chair by heavy, rusty shackles. His wrists and ankles were shackled to the chair preventing him to move when he wakes up.

In front of him was a raised platform called the "bench". It is where a judge normally sits in a courtroom. Beside this was a jury box filled with angry Monokumas dressed as civilians. Behind the unconscious man was the gallery of the courtroom flooded with Monokumas posing as civilians as well. Some were shouting while others were crying. Separating the unconscious man from the Monokumas was a partition.

The room was chaotic. Even so, the man was never woken up by the yells of the Monokumas. He was just asleep unbothered by the cacophony of screams and sobs from the Monokumas.

Suddenly, the room grew quiet. A Monokuma dressed as a judge popped out of nowhere sitting on the bench. On its right-hand side were a gavel and a block. It looked to the man and asked him to defend himself.

There was a long awkward pause. The man was unable to speak because he was asleep. The civilians were silently angry because the man did not speak. The Monokuma acting as a judge was irritated by this and could not wait for the man to wake up. He sentenced him to rot in hell. He hit the block with the gavel producing a sound echoing through the room.

With this sharp sound, the man finally woke up from his deep slumber. He looked around to survey the room. He was confused about what was happening. He stared at Monokuma sitting at the judge's bench. Suddenly, he remembered everything that led him to this.

Unrulily, the man started shouting.

"Why! What are you planning to fucking do? Please stop this bullshit! Everyone has moved on! Just move on already. You can still stop this. Please don't start another bloodshed. Please don't! I am fucking begging you! Just please open your eyes and listen to me. Nobody wants this. And, nobody needs it anymore."

He tried to stand up but he failed because of his restraints. He fell flat on to his face. He attempted to reposition himself but he failed miserably. He was unable to do so and stayed lying on the floor.

The floor started to shake. The man began to panic and was concerned with what Monokuma will do to him. The floor slowly cracked open and heat fumed through it burning him. Skeleton hands rose from the cracks trying to reach the man. The hands then grabbed onto the man and dragged him down. The floor below the man broke resulting to the man falling onto a hot rocky surface.

His chair broke freeing his movements. All that was left were the shackles on his wrists and ankles. He wiped off the dirt from his clothes when he heard a snarl. It came from something in front of him. He took a look and saw a giant three-headed dog animatronic.

The animatronic had reddish-brown fur. Its eyes were blazing red like fire. The claws were ginormous and could easily crush a boulder with it. Smoke was coming out from the mouths of the three heads. Each head had a black collar. The one on the left had "Cer" engraved on it. The middle head's collar has the word "ber" lettered on it. And, the head on the right had the word "us" written on it.

"Cerberus…" The man uttered to himself as he trembled in fear. He started to step back slowly as he stared at the animatronic. Unknown to him, a rock was behind him. Because of this, he tripped.

The animatronic roared loudly. The man quickly stood up and began to run away. The animatronic quickly reacted and chased him. The man was quick but he stopped as stumbled upon a dead end. He looked behind him only to see the scary beast.

The man leaned against the wall. He could not do anything but watch the dog. He felt helpless. He wished for someone to get him out of there. He looked around to see if he can get himself out of his predicament only to realize he was cornered and nothing can save him now.

The beast slowly walked towards the man. Inches away, the animatronic roared once more. The roar shook the man to his bones. The giant dog started to run and pounced onto the helpless man. It began mauling the man.

The man's face was torn off. His blood gushed out of his neck. His organs were ripped out of his body. Bones broke with audible cracks. It became a horrid sight. The scene was nauseating to witness.

The now bloodied animatronic stopped and went back to where it came from. Its tracks were marked by the man's blood shaped into the animatronic's footprint. The dog left and an unidentifiable corpse with its innards out.

A voice of Monokuma suddenly filled the silent place. "Welcome to hell!"

The corpse was left to rot in hell.

* * *

Hi guys! It is me again with another prologue. I hope you enjoyed reading this.

There are 20 days left before the deadline ends. If you are planning to submit characters, submit them during those 20 days.

I still have a small pool of submitted characters but I have people who have contacted me telling me they will be submitting which makes me comfortable still with the deadline. If there are people who are in need of clarifications about the form, please do not hesitate to ask me. I will try to respond as soon as I read your questions. I am still hopeful and patient to read more submissions in the coming days. If I truly need more time to get a decent cast, I will try to extend the deadline. I will only do this if I am truly desperate.

I also want to address this story's place in the timeline in the DR universe. This story will take place at least 2 decades after the tragedy.

I also have received complains about the link for the discord server. If it is not working, please tell me your name and tag in Discord and I will give you the invite through personal chatrooms. The link does not expire but some people found the link to be not working. If you want to talk about this story and other kinds of stuff, join the discord server!

I would love to hear about your opinions on this story so far. Sound them off in the reviews or in the discord server. It will help me a lot to improve my writing style and give you guys an exciting story. I cannot wait to read them.

That is all for now. Good luck to all of us!


	6. Prologue 6

Somewhere in a bustling city, men and women walk over a chamber unknown to them every day of their busy lives. Their footsteps vibrated through the thick pavement as they rush to go to their respective destinations. Their laughs and cries and screams echoed through the four walls of the room. The loud thuds created by the stomping feet above the room never bothered the people staying in the chamber. They became used to the disturbance.

There were plenty who stayed inside the chambers. They were men and women who always made sure to wear clean lab coats inside the chamber. These people always had a pen and a pad of paper brought with them ready to use for taking note of anything worth remembering. Some were always in front of a computer monitoring on a peculiar activity. They made sure to take note of anything weird.

In the middle of this room were pods. These pods were white and sleek in design. These pods were as big as coffins, anyone can fit in it perfectly. Attached to these pods were wires that were so extremely long that it almost covered the floor. These wires were leading to big, black, boxy supercomputers each processing millions of data at a short span of time.

Near the entrance of the room was an elevated floor from the floor where the pods lay. This elevated platform is separated from the pods by a thick glass wall. This was where the people in the room was staying. They were trying to do their tasks efficiently as they maneuvered around the crowded platform.

A man was standing near the glass wall. He was a tall man wearing a clean white lab coat. Underneath his lab coat was a white shirtsleeve, black pants, and a red-and-black tie. He was wearing a black fedora and black suspenders. His footwear were black leather shoes. Unlike the other people with him, he was wearing clean white gloves. It was safe to assume he was at his 50s already. His clean cut hair was already silver. Just like his hair, his beard was already white suggesting his old age. He had wrinkles on his forehead. His eyes were dark brown staring at what was in the other side of the glass wall—the coffin-like pods.

He was deep in his thoughts as he stared at the pods. He was unbothered by the clattering of the keyboards nor the footsteps of the people scurrying around the room. Nothing could bother him during that moment unlike the way he was bothered by his plan.

He was nervous of it. His confidence of the success of his plan was troubling him. The internal conflict within him was tearing him inside. His heart was pounding as the time ticked away. He clenched his right fist and bit into his lower lip. He looked behind him to watch his men work. He took a deep breath and whispered to himself "This has to work."

Standing there, he caught the attention of one of his team member. This team member was a brilliant young woman. She was wearing a white blazer and shirt and a black pencil skirt underneath her lab coat. She approached the old man whom she thought as someone bothered by something. She slowly walked towards him. The lady stopped beside the old man and tapped on the old man's shoulder. She greeted the man with her wide smile. The old man looked at her and tried to hide his worried look from the lass.

"Yes? Is there something wrong?" The old man attempted to start a conversation with the woman.

"Nothing really. I just saw you sir looking too bothered." The woman blatantly said.

"Is that so? I am sorry if I made you worry."

"Oh, you do not need to say sorry sir."

The young woman became more curious with the current state of mind of the old man.

"What seems to be bothering you sir? Everything is going according to plan."

"I am just really nervous if this is really going to work."

"Of course sir! It will work! You created this plan and everyone here worked their asses off to make this plan a reality. You do not need to fret sir!"

"Thank you for that reassurance. The plan is near completion. I am just scared that all of our work will be for nothing."

The young woman stepped to the front of the old man and continued talking with the old man.

"Sir, we got this!"

After her conversation with the old man, she went back to her task. She continued writing a report for what they were planning to do. The old man continued supervising his team. He went to different people asking if everything was going smoothly or if he could be of any help. He roamed around checking for any possible errors. He wanted to minimize the probability of his plan failing.

As he was walking around to see if he can help with anything, a man entered the room with a clipboard. The man was wearing a lab coat as well. Underneath it was a white shirtsleeve, a khaki pants, and a black necktie. His shoes were brown loafers. He straightly went to the old man and gave him his clipboard attached with files.

The old man was surprised by the young lad. He took it and skimmed through each one of the files attached to the clipboard. He was shocked with what he read. He looked at the young man with bafflement.

"Is this real?" The old man asked with shock in his tone.

"Yes sir. All of them finally agreed to partake." The young man answered.

"Oh my God! I thought we would have a harder time convincing number 7 but they finally agreed to join." The old man exclaimed.

He stopped talking and called out the attention of everyone present in the room. Before he spoke, he made sure he got everyone focused on what he was about to say. He did not want anybody to miss it.

"No. 7 has agreed! The plan will commence tomorrow. Everyone should make every preparation possible today to make sure tomorrow will go smoothly! No slacking! Our plan is almost complete! Failure is not an option! This has to succeed!"

Everyone quickly started preparing as they have been told. They made sure nothing was left unchecked. The old man stood in the corner watching everyone do their work tirelessly all for the sake of their goal. He was left at awe with how dedicated his men were. He looked back at the pods and went back to his deep thoughts.

_This has to work._

* * *

Hello guys! It is me again!

I would like to talk about the submissions first. The rate of submissions has drastically increased which was really amazing so thank you so much for the people who submitted so far! I would like to discuss though the submitted personalities. So far, the personalities are great but I feel like I am lacking of jerk/queen bee character types. I would really love to get some more of them.

If you want some character type suggestions from me, here are some:

1\. Twisted sense of morals.

2\. Vain or driven by self-love

3\. Fickle-minded

4\. Shallow and needy

5\. Willing to mess with everyone's life

6\. Batshit crazy people

I am also in need of academically related talents.

If you guys have any questions about the form, you can always ask me and I will try to answer them as quickly as possible.

Also, I want to emphasize that the **deadline for submissions is on July 13, 2019. **If you have characters you want to pass, pass it on or before the date. You guys have at most 10 days left to pass them. I really love reading characters so send as many as you want.

I want to promote the discord server for this story! If you want to chat about this story and other stuff as well, you can join! The link is on my profile! If you are finding it difficult to join, you can pm me for the invite.

Before I go, I want to give a heads up about my scheduling update for the introductions. After I posted this, expect me to post the official cast and intro after at least 20 days. I will spend 10 days waiting and another 10 days for deciding the final cast, writing, editing, proofreading, and another editing of the intro. My goal is to post a new chapter every 10 days but I know at some point I will not be able to meet this due to unforeseeable events but I will try to abide by this goal though.

I would love to hear your comments as well. It would really help me improve!

You can always contact me through pm or through discord if you have questions!

That is it for now! Goodbye and good luck with our lives!


	7. End Of A Normal Life 1

**Hello! This is the introduction of the cast! I am so excited! To those who have submitted their characters, thank you so much! It was a difficult process but I managed to get 12 that will fit perfectly in the story! I hope you will enjoy the story! This is the official start of the story!**

**Without further ado, this is Danganronpa: Last Hurrah!**

* * *

Nao was lying on a bed he deemed uncomfortable. It was not soft enough for his liking. The blanket wrapped around him felt uncomfortable to him when it touched his skin. The pillow was too soft. And, the bed was too small to enjoy.

He was looking at the ceiling staring blankly trying to wrap his head around what happened to him. He was uncertain of what happened. All he could remember was standing in the middle of a principal's office with a man he could not recognize. Moments after, he plunged into darkness and got out of it only to be greeted by the light from the room he was in.

"What just happened?" His utterance broke the silence in the unfamiliar room.

"I was called an ultimate, right? Then, that man's face was hazy. What?" Nao was confused about the events that happened.

He stayed on the bed for a few more minutes and finally decided to get up. He sat down on the side of the bed and first noticed the bedside table. It was made of a white wood he was unfamiliar with. Its legs were designed as if they were curling. It had only a single drawer with a white knob. On it was a lamp with a spherical white lamp base and a lampshade with designs of white feathers. It was plugged in a socket near the bedside table. Other than the lamp, a rectangular red digital alarm clock was plugged in. It was beside the lamp on the table. It showed that it was 12:45 pm, approximately the time when he suddenly plunged into an abyss. In front of the clock was an opened tablet.

It caught his attention as it was something he considered yet weirdly familiar. He took it to further observe it. It was black and of slender design. Behind it was the engraved insignia of Hope's Peak Academy. He played with it and managed to open it by pressing a button on its right. The screen immediately showed information about him. This concerned him quickly.

"How did they get this?" He muttered to himself as he continued fidgeting with it.

"I guess I am the Ultimate N.E.E.T according to this tablet. Does that mean what I think happened truly happened?" Questioning only gave him a headache, not an answer.

He soon was able to open a folder named "Players" showing his file and fifteen other files. Out of curiosity, he opened each one of them only to see they were mere blank pages. He quickly closed the files and found another folder. It was titled "Floor Plans". Inside the folder was only one-floor plan with the file name "1st Floor". He opened it and saw a floor plan of what he assumed the building he was in. He tried to find out what were the rooms as it only showed question marks. The only room with a name was his room. He closed the file and folder after that. The next thing he did on the tablet was open the folder named "Facts". It was empty. He tried reloading the tablet but nothing changed.

He decided to put the tablet back on the table and stood up to look around the room he was in. He first looked at the closet in front of his bed. It was made of the same material used for the bedside table. It had two doors both having a mirror. He looked at himself and saw how he was dressed. He had an ocean-blue shirt with a white outline of a sun. Over it was a dark blue unzipped bomber jacket. His shirt was tucked in his denim jeans with a black belt that has a silver buckle. For his footwear, he had black ankle leather boots and black ankle socks. Wrapped around his neck was a yellow scarf. To finish his look, he had a silver dangling earring on his left ear shaped like a sun. His hair was neatly combed to his liking which surprised him.

He grabbed on the two white ornately designed doorknobs. He slowly opened the closet and quickly noticed what was inside. Hanged were the same outfits he was currently wearing. Seeing the clothes, he decided to skim over it to see if there is something he might miss. Alas, he failed to find anything useful. He closed the closet and went next to the coffee table in the middle of the room.

The coffee table was made of glass while its legs were intricately designed like white feathers. He sat down on one of the four wooden chairs surrounding the table. It was brown, unlike the other furniture. It had grey pillows that Nao loved. He grabbed a magazine from the stack of magazines in front of him on the coffee table. It was obviously new since it was still wrapped in plastic. He ripped the plastic and opened it to skim it. Surprise to him, the pages were blank. They were only stark white. He grabbed another magazine only to see the same blank pages. He put down the magazines on the red oval velvet rug under the coffee table and went to the door that said "bathroom".

He stood in front of it and looked at it. The door was made of white-painted wood with opaque glass panels. A white round doorknob was protruding on the right. He grabbed it and turned it opening the door. He was surprised by the state of the bathroom. It was clean. The tiles were as white as brand new ones. He immediately noticed the spacious bathtub. He walked to it and sat on the ledge of it. After that, he went to the sink in front of the bathtub. It was a rectangular-shaped porcelain sink on top of a white drawer. He opened each to see they were filled with bathrobes, towels, hygiene kits, bug sprays, etc. There was also a circular mirror right above the sink.

He went out of his bathroom after touring it. He sat down on the floor and thought of what to do next.

"This is really confusing! I am stuck in, presumably, a building after what I can only describe as plunging to darkness while I was talking to people? That does not make sense. Wherever I am, I need to get out of here. I guess I need to explore the building to see what my situation really is."

He stood up from where he was sitting. He tidied his pants and made his way to the door. Before he opened it, he took a look at where the tablet was. He could not understand but he had a feeling bringing along the tablet might come in handy. He went back to his bedside table and took his tablet. He made his way again to the door and opened it.

He opened the brown wooden door and looked at the side of the door facing outside of his room. On it was a pixelated version of himself wearing what he has currently on. He giggled a bit from seeing it.

"Why is there something like that hanging on the door? That seems out of place."

"I know, right?" Nao was caught off-guard by the feminine voice he heard from his back.

He closed the door and quickly turned around to see who it was. All he saw was a beautiful woman who had a long jet-black slick hair tied into a ponytail by a hair tie with a four-leaf clover made of emeralds. She was tall but Nao was only taller by probably an inch. She had monolid eyes with chocolate brown irises. She had a rosy skin tone. She was familiar to him but he could not tell why he recognizes her.

She was wearing a pink crop top tube top revealing her defined abs and prominent collarbone. Hanging around her neck was a silver necklace with a rose pendant studded with amethyst. She was wearing a black high-waist leggings. She had a pair of black ankle boots reaching her leggings making it look like her boots were part of her leggings. Hugging her was a fabric of lavender soft rayon tulle. The fabric had a garter at its both ends which she wore like a bracelet. Because of this, she looks like she had a fabric of soft tulle wrapped around her.

"Uhmmm…Who are you?" Nao asked the unknown lady.

"I am **Umeko Midori**, the **Ultimate Environmentalist**."

The tablet in Nao's hand suddenly rang. He opened it and saw a new file in the "Players" folder. He quickly took a look at the new file he received. He opened it and saw:

* * *

**Umeko Midori**

**Ultimate Environmentalist**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'10"**

**Weight: 132 lbs.**

**Likes: shoes, rabbits, and lavender fields**

**Dislikes: trash, cigarettes, and meat**

* * *

Along with the information was Umeko's picture. He looked at it and compared it to the person in front of him to make sure the information was accurate.

"What is this?" Nao asked himself.

"Oh, that is a file someone receives when they meet the other people here." Umeko explained even though she was not asked by Nao.

_Other people? We are not the only ones here?_

"When you said other people, you meant there are other people with us stuck in here?" Nao asked to make sure he was correct with his guess.

"Yes. I am not sure if there are seventeen of us since there are seventeen rooms but one does not have a pixelated icon on. All of the rooms where people came from had a pixelated icon on their room that looked just like them." Umeko explained.

Then, Umeko pointed at the door on her left. It was the door directly in front of Nao's room. She tapped on the pixelated icon on the door.

"This is my room. You can easily identify which room belongs to which person because of this icon." Umeko continued.

"Where are the others?" Nao quickly asked.

"They are currently in the gymnasium."

_A gymnasium? Is this building a school?_

"Why?" Nao continued to ask.

"Someone with a funny voice announced through the audio system to go there."

_A funny voice? What could that possibly mean? Why would she use that phrase to describe the announcer? Is that how distinguishable the voice was?_

"Why are you still here then?" Nao moved on to another topic.

"The person ordered me to wait here for you and the others who have not woken up."

"How many have woken up?"

"Including you, we are currently fifteen."

_I wonder what the others are like. She is an ultimate. Are the others ultimates as well?_

Umeko raised her hand stopping Nao before he could continue on controlling the conversation. She smiled first before talking which got the attention of Nao. He was curious why she smiled and almost looked like she was stopping herself from laughing.

"Before you continue interrogating me, introduce yourself first. You have not introduced yourself." She pointed out which made Nao embarrassed for persistently asking without properly introducing himself.

"I am sorry about that! I am Nao Hisoka and I was told I am the Ultimate N.E.E.T. before waking up here." Nao briefly introduced himself.

Umeko's right eyebrow raised after Nao introduced himself. It was obvious something caught her attention from what Nao said. Nao was suddenly curious with what it was she was thinking after he introduced himself.

"Is my talent that weird?" Nao asked to know what it was bothering her.

"Not really. Some of the people with us have weirder talents than you have."

_What could be weirder than being a N.E.E.T.?_

"What did I say that bothered you?" He asked.

"The way you were before you woke up."

_Being told what my talent is was weird?_

Umeko continued explaining what she found weird with what Nao said.

"Everyone was crossing the gate of Hope's Peak High before we woke up here. Unlike us, you were being told of your talent."

Nao wanted to comment on that. He wanted to ask if she knew the man he saw before he woke up here. He was curious to know if how she got her title. Was it the same for her? He wanted to ask but he was cut off by the creaking of a slowly opening door. They both looked at the end of the hallway to see a door open.

A little girl came out of the room. Her hair was light brown that reached her shoulder blades and had a white ribbon to tie her hair. She had full bangs. Her eyes were chocolate brown. She had round eyes and her lips were small. She had a very rosy white skin tone. She was wearing a purple long-sleeved dress that reaches up to her knees. The bottom part of her dress was pleated. The collar of it was a V-neck. At the tip of her collar near her chest was a white ribbon bow with an opal in the middle of it. The opal's colors were blue, mint green, and light violet. She had white sneakers. She was also holding a golden teddy bear that had the same ribbon and opal on her dress on its neck.

The little girl slowly approached the two. It was clear that the girl was wary of Nao and Umeko. She was holding her teddy bear as if she was hiding behind it. With little steps, she finally reached the two. She stopped and peeked at them. Umeko waved her right hand saying a friendly hi. Nao was curious about the little girl. The little girl put the down the teddy bear and hugged it. She looked down on the floor and started speaking softly.

"Hi…I'm **Eri Shizuka**, the **Ultimate Toymaker**, and th…th…this is Honey, my teddy bear. I hope we get along well!" She ended her sentence with a bow.

* * *

**Eri Shizuka**

**Ultimate Toymaker**

**Age: 14**

**Height: 5'0"**

**Weight: 99 lbs.**

**Likes: tea parties, teddy bears, and parks**

**Dislikes: rats, scary stories, and coffee**

* * *

Umeko suddenly became flustered because Eri bowed.

"You do not need to bow! Raise your head up high." Umeko said in a friendly voice.

After Umeko's statement, she stood up straight she did not look at the two. She only continued looking downwards. Nao was bothered by this. It was obvious to him Eri was overly timid to the point of being socially awkward. Nao crouched down to talk to Eri eye to eye. Nao smiled warmly at Eri making Eri flush red.

"Hey, is everything alright? You can look at us. Are we making you uncomfortable?" Nao asked Eri.

Umeko was surprised by what Nao did. She did not expect him to talk to Eri like that. Umeko continued watching the two interact with each other.

"I am okay. I am just…too shy. That is all. I am so sorry for making both of you uncomfortable! Honey and I are sorry!" Eri raised her teddy bear bowed his head to say sorry.

Nao stood up again and continued talking with the two. Then, the two introduced themselves to Eri.

"Where are we?" Eri asked.

"We think we are in a school building." Umeko answered Eri.

_A school? What school are we in?_

"Are there other people besides us?" Eri continued

"There are other people in the gymnasium." Umeko continued answering.

Eri was about to ask another question but, suddenly, the audio system was turned on and cut off her. Nao was focused on hearing the voice of the person from the other end of the system. _What does the voice sound like?_ The person on the other end started talking and Nao could not believe what he was hearing.

"Umeko and the two sleepy heads, go to the gymnasium, now! Fucking move it!"

The voice was weird to Nao. It sounded nasal and cartoonish. It was almost like a voiceover for a cartoon character. He agreed with Umeko. It sounded funny.

"Who w-w-was that?" Eri asked.

"We don't know as well." Umeko answered.

Umeko looked at the room with a door that lacked a pixelated icon. Nao looked over as well and made a conclusion.

"I guess no one is staying there and there are only sixteen of us." Nao stated.

"I guess so." Umeko sighed.

Eri was confused with what the two were talking but she just let it slip by. She tugged Umeko's fabric to get her attention and asked her to lead the way to the gymnasium. Umeko agreed and they started walking to the gymnasium. They first passed a narrow hallway then took a right turn and passed several rooms. Nao took mental notes of what the rooms he passed were like. _It does seem like we are in school. _Then, they reached a door and opened it only to enter a short hallway with a few lockers on both sides. On the other end of the hall was another door. They were about to enter when he noticed a smaller door next to the door. It made him curious about what was inside there.

"What is that door for?" Nao pointed at the smaller door.

"I don't know as well. I have not explored the building yet." Umeko answered.

After that, Umeko pushed the two doors creating a loud creaking sound that echoed through the hallway they were in. The light from the other side of the room started to creep out of the opening between the two doors. It blinded Nao at first but, after a few seconds, his vision was able to adjust and saw a spacious gymnasium.

The gymnasium had a court in the middle of it. Nao could detect it was a basketball court. On the sides were bleachers that were painted in blue and grey. The walls had the same color as the bleachers. The ceiling had over a dozen lights lighting up the room. In front of the gym was a stage with red curtains covering what was on it. In the middle of the room were the other thirteen people they were with.

The thirteen looked at them. Some smiled at them while others were highly suspicious of them. Nao understood why they would be heavily suspected. _I guess this is the curse of waking up late. _Umeko waved her hand and greeted the other thirteen.

"Hi guys! Here are the last of us!" Umeko smiled at the others obviously ignoring the other stern looks Nao and Eri were receiving.

An attractive young man walked towards them. The man has a fair complexion. His shoulders were wide indicating he has a toned built. His nose is upturned and sharp, similar to his upturned and detailed eyes which were an emerald green color. His eyebrows were quite detailed as well and slanted, and his lips are a healthy pink hue. The man's hair was a pale pink color. His hair was gelled back in a spiky fashion, although he did have bangs which are to the left side of his face, combed to the side in a messy manner reaching just halfway down his ears.

The man's clothing would consist of a dark green turtleneck. Over the turtleneck, he was wearing a black duster jacket. On the bottom, the man was wearing a pair pf tight-fitted dark blue jeans and black lace-up boots, having worn white ankle socks underneath. Around his neck was a purple-and-blue plaid scarf. He had eyewear which was a bifocal black-framed yellow polarized glasses. Over his left shoulder was a dark red bum bag.

"Ah, hey there. The name's **Jitsunori Setsunosuke**, **Ultimate Hairstylist**. What's yours?" The man spoke with a smooth and low voice.

* * *

**Jitsunori Setsunosuke**

**Ultimate Hairstylist**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 6'0"**

**Weight: 176 lbs.**

**Likes: strawberry milk, orchards, and butterflies**

**Dislikes: spiders, neon colors, and almond milk**

* * *

Eri was obviously flustered again while Nao was calm and unaffected by Jitsunori. The two introduced themselves and Jitsunori found what happened to Nao weird as well since it was different from the rest. Eri also shared that she experienced the same thing with others.

"That is weird. Obviously, you are an outlier to the group." Jitsunori claimed.

_Why is my experience from the others different? This is definitely not a coincidence. _

"If you need help, you can always approach me!"

"Noted." Nao uttered monotonously.

Nao sounded disinterested in Jitsunori but it was the complete opposite. Jitsunori came off as a genuinely great person but he could not get behind why he felt weird about it. _Is this the real him? _All that he could think about is the authenticity of the person in front of him. He started to feel too judgmental and tried to stop thinking about his first impression of Jitsunori.

"Anyways, you should go around and introduce yourselves to others. I think you will find some of them interesting." Jitsunori walked away afterward.

Nao followed his advice and separated from Eri and Umeko. He went around and looked at the people he might be able to talk to.

He was eyeing a frail-looking girl. She had wide amber-colored eyes. Her eyes brows were thin and droopy. They are shaded dark brown, identical to her hair, besides the two irregular streaks of silvery-white hair on either side of her head which hang down to frame both sides of her face, the ends jaggedly cut and falling in front of her small ears. Her hair was tied into a ponytail with the end snaking around her neck and hanging down her left shoulder, extending down to end a little bit above her waist, the end curled upwards. A few faint black streaks run through her tresses. She had a fringe that hanged a little messily in a diagonal cut down her face to completely cover the right half of her face, stopping before her chin. Two longer sections of hair have been curled and hang on either side in front of her face, reaching to mid-neck level. Lastly, a thin and long, separate strand droops downwards over her forehead and two smaller sections stick out just above her ears on either side, faintly resembling horns. She had a fair complexion. On her cheeks were a painted upside-down triangle and a sun.

She was wearing a long kimono falling to her ankles, colored in a dark-greyish purple and hazel green, the color shades varying, and organized in a ringed circular pattern all throughout the kimono, with a darker purple ribbon tied in a big and elegant bow behind her back. Over this, she wore a long white cloak over her arms and shoulders, which also flowed to her ankles, with a white hood at the back for her to pull over her head if she so wishes. The sleeves are long and she folded them back to expose or use her hands, whilst the lower rim of the cloak and sleeves bore a delicately embroidered pattern in silver thread, portraying occult runes and supernatural symbols within them. Her feet were protected by a simple pair of grey sandals, with slightly worn soles and the straps weaving around her ankles to secure the footwear in place. She had a worn and ragged light brown satchel over the left shoulder. She had a crystal charm bracelet around her right wrist over some bandages and a crystal-beaded anklet around her left ankle. She also had pale grey Magatana earrings and wore a single hair-clip in the shape of a crescent moon, with a small black choker around her throat and pearl-grey beads dangling from it.

He walked towards her. She was looking in the opposite direction where Nao came from. He tapped on the girl's shoulder. Unexpectedly, the girl jumped and turned around to see him. Nao was shocked by her reaction. He inferred that she was the paranoid type of person.

"**Rei Kurosawa**, **Ultimate Supernatural Novelist**. Now…what do you want from…me?"

* * *

**Rei Kurosawa**

**Ultimate Supernatural Novelist**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'5"**

**Weight: 124 lbs.**

**Likes: berry tea, vegetable soup, spiritual music**

**Dislikes: loud noises, crowds, and green tea**

* * *

Nao did not know how to respond to Rei. She was panicking too much for him to talk to normally. He wanted to attempt to calm her down but he knew he would fail. However, he knew that he had to do something in order for him to talk to her normally. He first took a step back thinking it might help her relax a bit. Rei looked at him in a less panicky state.

"I am sorry if I surprised you. I did not mean to. I just wanted to introduce myself." Nao calmly explained to Rei.

Rei started to relax more. She took deep breaths and slowly lost the tension in her posture. She took a few more deep breaths to finally relax. Her nervous state was gone but it was still evident she had her guard up. Nao waited for a couple of minutes to start talking just to make sure she was okay and ready to engage in a conversation with him. He introduced himself and asked her if she knew where they were or why they were in a school building.

"I'm sorry…I do not know anything as well…I was walking to Hope's Peak and then…I was suddenly transported here." Rei attempted to answer Nao clearly.

"I see. I am sorry for frightening you earlier." Nao apologized and left her. He observed Rei's composure improving as he left.

_She is one weird person. What happened to her?_

He walked away from her and was lost. It was not obvious with how composed he was. He did not know who to talk to next. Looking around, he mindlessly walked and tried to figure out which to talk to. To others, he seemed level-headed but, internally, he was in a state of confusion. As he was walking, he turned around and bumped into a guy.

He could tell the guy was as tall as Umeko. His skin had a natural tan color. His eyes were chestnut brown and almond-shaped. He had a chiseled jawline. The man was wearing a light orange long sleeves properly buttoned with a pocket on the left part of his chest. It had a black ball pen hanged in it. Around the collar of his shirtsleeve was a black necktie. His long sleeves were tucked into his black pants. To complete his look, he had a clean pair of black leather shoes.

The man raised his right eyebrow and stared at him menacingly. It was obvious the man was irritated by Nao bumping into him. Nao was surprised by how the man was reacting. He knew he was at fault but he did not think his action would receive such atrocious feedback. The man rolled his eyes after looking at Nao from head to toe. This action left a bad taste in Nao's mouth.

"Did you not see me standing here?" The man started to blow off on Nao.

"I am sorry. I did not—" Before Nao could finish what he had to say, the man cut him off to complain more about what happened.

"Are you uneducated? Seriously! Bumping into a person is pathetic. You have eyes! Use them next time you are walking. Okay? You don't have them just to look handsome. Are you even an ultimate? You probably are not." The man continued complaining while Nao was silently gazing at the man with no care.

_Uneducated? Look who is blowing off on something as trivial as bumping into someone._

"I am actually an ultimate. My name is Nao Hisoka, the Ultimate N.E.E.T." Nao introduced himself.

The man quickly snickered after hearing Nao's introduction. He rolled his eyes again and looked at his right. He knew his talent was not that praiseworthy but the way the man reacted annoyed him. It was obvious to him the man was on the arrogant side. The way he looked at Nao insulted him. He was close to punching the man but he controlled himself just to stop the mess.

"I believe you wanted to know my name. I am **Jirou Katashi**, the **Ultimate Mathematician**. I am levels higher than you, moron!"

* * *

**Jirou Katashi**

**Ultimate Mathematician**

**Age: 15**

**Height: 5'10"**

**Weight: 134 lbs.**

**Likes: equations, books, and high scores**

**Dislikes: athletes, apples, and doughnuts**

* * *

"N.E.E.T.? What a lazy bum you probably are. You probably have no idea what the value of Euler's number is." Jirou mockingly pointed at Nao.

_Hmm…I think this situation calls me to be petty._

"2.71828182845904523536. Should I continue?" Nao deadpan looked at Jirou reciting the first twenty-one significant figures of the true value of Euler's number.

Jirou's jaw dropped and could not continue talking to Nao. All he could do was walk away from Nao. _Suck it you piece of shit! _Nao felt victorious after their heated talk. Jirou truly annoyed him for blowing out of proportion. Although, he was curious why Jirou kept on saying derogatory terms and praises aimed on one's level of intelligence. _Surely there is a reason why he was like that. I hope there is. _

He was about to move on when a woman approached him. She was of average height. Her skin tone can only be described as extremely pale due to lack of sunlight. Her eyes were blue just like Nao's. She had her light brown, almost blonde, hair tied into a ponytail with a red band. Her hair reached her lower back. She was wearing a flowing red dress that had golden highlights with a skirt that reached the bottom of her legs. For her footwear, she had red Mary Jane shoes and black knee-high socks. He could tell something was underneath her clothes but was not sure what it was.

"Finally, someone was able to silence that jerk! He made fun of me just because I was an athlete." The lady spoke in an accent he was unfamiliar with.

_You are definitely not Japanese._

"Really? He mocked you as well?" Nao asked the lady.

"Not just me but everyone except for four people since their talents were, according to him, 'academic-centered'. I am not really sure what he meant by that but he can be surely annoying." The lady emphasized.

_I guess he is a jerk._

"Oh, where are my manners! I engaged in a conversation with you without introducing myself. I am **Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbón Ortiz**, the Ultimate Princess." The woman introduced herself.

"Princess?" Nao uncontrollably asked her.

"Just kidding! I am an ultimate but not the Ultimate Princess. Instead, I am the **Ultimate Fencer**."

* * *

**Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbón Ortiz**

**Ultimate Fencer**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'7"**

**Weight: 119 lbs.**

**Likes: rapiers, justice, and tea**

**Dislikes: criminals, corruption, and chocolates**

* * *

"You are not a princess but a fencer?" Nao said to make sure he got it right.

"I am a fencer and a princess of Spain. It is just that my talent in fencing was more recognized than me being a princess." Reyes corrected him.

"I see. Is that why you hate him? As a princess, you have no tolerance for ignorance." Nao asked to continue the conversation.

"I do not hate him. What I hate were his actions. Let us get that clear." Reyes corrected him again.

"What a diplomatic answer."

"As a princess, it is my duty not to be biased and to promote justice." Reyes claimed.

"I am sorry if this will come out of nowhere but are you wearing some sort of suit underneath your dress. I could tell by the way your dress looked." Nao asked politely.

"Oh, you noticed that. Yes, I am wearing a fencing suit and have an epee holstered on my pants." Reyes comfortably answered.

"Why?" Nao quickly asked. He did not understand why she had to wear it.

_Why wear it? She is not in competition._

"Just to be ready for anything. My epee is sharp enough to threaten people to stay orderly." Reyes shocked Nao.

_I guess I should be wary of her just in case._

"I see." After that, Nao introduced himself to Reyes and went off to meet other people.

While he was walking, a young woman approached him with a mischievous smile. The girl had round dark green eyes with thin eyebrows. Her copper brown-hair was styled into a bob cut. She had a natural tan. It was obvious she was wearing makeup for her blushing cheeks. She was wearing a white headband. Like her headband, her tube top with laces running across the top edge was white. She was also wearing a peach drawstring skirt tied by a white ribbon in a bow. The skirt went down to her knees. This was patterned with white floral decorations. For her footwear, she was wearing green flats with dark green pompoms attached to the top of its toe cap.

Nao was stopped by the woman from walking. She blocked his pathway and feigned ignorance. Nao did not care enough to confront her about it. He just stood there and decided to see where this interaction will take him. He just hoped it will not be like with Jirou.

The girl suddenly walked and pretended to bump into him. She quickly painted a surprising look which was comically hysterical but Nao pretended not to know anything. His curiosity was definitely piqued. The girl continued acting. She quickly tucked her hair behind her right ear with her right hand and directly looked at Nao. She opened her mouth a little bit. Nao was anticipating her next move.

She softly uttered, "I'm sorry mister."

Nao just looked at her and it was obvious for him it affected her with whatever she was trying to do. The girl suddenly changed posture. She stood up with her right arm akimbo and had the smile he saw before she made her move on her face. Nao was surprised by her move. He thought she would continue with her little act.

_That was a sudden change in posture. What is up with this girl?_

"Wow! You're good! I tried doing that to the other men here, well except the grumpy Jirou. He annoyed me before I could do my little prank. Back to my story, they all became flustered, especially Jitsunori. Are you gay?" She quickly asked.

"No. I just saw through your act."

"Poor me! I should have done better! But, to see through my act means you are quite a smart lad, aren't you." The lady claimed.

_You do not need to be smart to detect a forced front._

"You are smart, handsome, and quiet! The perfect trifecta for anyone looking for a boyfriend! You are one rare fine specimen!" The lady said.

Nao blushed a bit but the lady did not notice nor pointed it out. He tried to maintain his cool before she starts to poke fun of it. He could tell the lady is a playful one. He quickly noted she is going to be unpredictable and can be troublesome. She is someone to be wary of as well.

"Sorry for making you play in one of my games! I am the **Hana Ongaku**, the** Ultimate Composer**!"

* * *

**Hana Ongaku**

**Ultimate Composer**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'5"**

**Weight: 127 lbs.**

**Likes: ice cream, strawberries, and sleeping in**

**Dislikes: reading, coffee, and bugs**

* * *

"Are you going to introduce yourself?" Hana teased Nao for his late reply.

Nao introduced himself and Hana was definitely interested in his talent. It was not as if she was amazed nor dismayed by his talent. It was more like she was taking note of it. Nao did not understand why she was doing that but he knew she was up to something.

Hana part ways with him. He was exhausted from talking to her. She was energetic though she was fake, at least for Nao. She kept raising topics giving him a hard time following her in the conversation. Because of this, he decided to sit on the bleachers for a while. He quickly noted it was cold. He guessed that the bleacher has not been used for a long while. He looked at the crowd and saw Eri trying her hardest to socialize with people. She was currently talking to Reyes. From afar, he could see her legs trembling from nervousness. He counted the people and only had fourteen. He quickly looked for the missing one and saw him sitting near him.

The man was sitting to his right. The man had his legs opened with his elbows on his knees and his back slouched. The man had a slightly tan complexion. His hair was charcoal black styled into a side comb. His eyes are of crimson red color. He was wearing a plain white button-up shirt with a red tie all underneath a black suit jacket. Also, he was wearing dark blue suit pants with thin black vertical lines. For his feet, he is wearing black dress shoes with black lace.

Nao could easily detect the blasé attitude of the man. He just looked too bored for someone in their situation. The man was looking at the people without any hint of care at all. Nao deduced that he must have sat at the bleacher to avoid the people. As he was looking at the man, the man yawned. This is what made Nao believe his first impression of the guy.

Nao decided to know him so he decided to stand up and go to him. His steps were not noisy but it was loud enough for someone sitting at the bleacher to hear it. The man looked at Nao's direction with the same drowsy expression. Nao was not surprised about that. He stopped when he was already in front of the man. He started the conversation thinking the man would definitely not initiate it.

"I am Nao Hisoka, the Ultimate N.E.E.T." Nao introduced himself.

Nao was waiting for the man to respond. However, the man did not respond. All the man did was stare at him blankly. Nao was surprised by how dense the man was. He thought the man would at least pick up on the signal that he wanted to talk to him. He waited for the man to reply.

"So what?" The man replied after a long awkward pause.

"I wanted to know your name and your talent." Nao answered.

"Give me $500 and I will give you my name and talent." The man demanded from Nao.

_Five hundred dollars? Does he know our situation? Why would he think I have $500 with me right now? _

"Are you serious?" Nao asked.

"Yes. It is my consultation fee." The man quickly replied without hesitation.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Nao's head. _Consultation fee? His talent must have something to do with that. _"Are you a lawyer?"

The man sighed after Nao asked. He looked away and shook his head. His eyes went back to Nao and smiled. Nao was confused with what was happening just like with Hana earlier.

"You are the first person to get my clue. You must be either smart or lucky. Which one are you?" The man quickly threw a question at Nao. Nao was not in the mood to play mind games. He just stared at the man the way the man stared at him earlier. The man changed his posture. He sat up straight and looked at Nao.

"Since you are the first to figure that one out, I will give you my name and talent for free. I am **Norio Kurosawa**, the **Ultimate Defense Attorney**."

* * *

**Norio Kurosawa**

**Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'7"**

**Weight: 145 lbs.**

**Likes: money, debating, and winning**

**Dislikes: coal miners, losing, and prosecutors**

* * *

A lot of questions suddenly raced in Nao's mind. _He is an attorney. But, he is very blasé. How did that happen? He does not have the spunk a typical lawyer would have. And, he is materialistic. That is kind of new. I thought the Ultimate Attorney would at least have some sense of passion. Maybe I am being too critical. Though, he is quite weird._

"Now that I have given you my name and talent, go away now. You do not have any purpose to stay near me." Norio shooed him away.

Nao did go away but his attention was still on Norio. He found him interesting given his talent and his personality. He wanted to see Norio in court. _Will he still be blasé? _

He continued walking away from the bleachers when he saw two women who seem to be having a small argument. The woman on the left was petite. Nao could tell that she was as small as Eri. She had a white complexion. The woman had a pear-shaped silhouette. Her eyes were blue and her hair was jet-black tied into a ponytail. She had bangs that were swept to the left. She was wearing a white tank top and jeans. Around her waist was her white hoodie tied up. It was patterned with question marks and its inside was color purple. She had an armguard on her left forearm and a three-finger glove on her right hand with the holes on her thumb, forefinger, and middle finger. She was also wearing black-and-white sneakers.

Arguing with her was a lady with a slender, curvaceous built. She had a light skin tone. She had natural red almond-shaped eyes with thick eyelashes. Her hair was extremely long reaching the floor. It was a natural black with red highlights. It was messy and unkempt. The bottom is braided into two with skull pins. Her hair strands curve towards the left side of her face and she had mid-length hair which was plaited and tied by a smaller skull-like hair clip resting on her left shoulder. She was wearing a black, long-sleeved button top with a zipper above the right chest and two more on the right side of the stomach, and between the zippers were the words Punk, Rave, and Free Drugs. The left side is longer than the right and adorned with various diaper pins in the midsection. Adorning the neck was a red tie with a number of tin chains and a single cross. Below that, a plaid skirt that stopped halfway down her thighs and a black leather knee-high boots with metal buckles.

Nao could not help but hear the argument. The small woman had a formal tone to her voice which can sound snobbish and her forced pronunciation made his eye roll. On the other hand, the crazy looking one was loud and obnoxious continuously swearing at the woman. Nao found it difficult what both were saying. He wondered how they even got into an argument. To him, both have different tones and pronunciation but both were equally displeasing to hear.

Nao just stood there waiting where their argument will lead.

"Calm down? I don't wanna fucking calm down! You started this shit! Confront me on the level I am confronting you! Your silly ass 'polite' words are annoying! Fake bitch!" The woman on the right shouted pointing her finger at the other lady.

"Please, calm down. I am sorry if I offended you. Please control yourself from making a scene." The small woman calmly begged the woman but it did not work. It just made the other woman more furious.

"I'm making a scene? Maybe you are the one making a fucking scene! Forcing me to say things the way I don't wanna say is weakshit! You are so manipulative! Making me look like the one at fault!" The angry woman continued to ham it down on the petite lady.

"I am sorry. I will not do it again." The petite woman apologized.

"Good! Get your shit together!" The angry woman agreed.

Nao was surprised the fight ended quickly. He surely thought it would have gone on for longer. The two made peace but Nao knew the small lady was just doing that to stop the whole fiasco. They both parted ways. The petite girl stayed while the crazy looking one moved on with her life. The petite lady started looking at her nails. Nao decided to talk to her first.

Nao walked up to her and she immediately noticed him. She stopped looking at her nails and smiled at him. Nao did not respond and continued walking towards her. She waved her hand at him and Nao nodded his head to indicate he recognized her. He stopped when he was near her.

"Hello! I believe we have not met before. This calls for an introduction. I am **Kayle Ito**, the **Ultimate Tact**." The woman stated in her formal tone.

* * *

**Kayle Ito**

**Ultimate Tact**

**Age: 18**

**Height: 5'0"**

**Weight: 110 lbs.**

**Likes: archery, grammar, and words**

**Dislikes: eye contact, inattentiveness, and disorderliness**

* * *

"Who might you be?" The woman asked for his identity.

Nao introduced himself to her. The woman was shocked by his talent. It was the first time someone had a reaction like that about his talent. He thought most of them would be like this but people accustomed to his talent better than he thought.

"For a N.E.E.T., you are well-spoken. I am very impressed." The woman claimed though she was robotic with her voice.

"I do not want to be rude but what does your talent exactly mean?" Nao asked her.

"It is not a big deal. I get asked all the time. I have the ability to navigate difficult issues. I am able to express a divisive opinion without offending anyone. Because of this, I am also able to detect hidden messages in speeches since I excel at doing that." Kayle lengthily explained.

_For someone who claims she is great at words, she talks for a long time about something that can be expressed in one sentence._

"In short, you are great at talking, listening, and writing speeches?" Nao tried to summarize what she meant.

"That is pretty much what I do." Kayle agreed with him.

Nao then part ways with Kayle and approached the one she was having an argument with. She was idly standing in the corner biting her nails. Nao quickly thought the two were the complete opposite. Nao stopped in front of her and took her attention to start the conversation.

"Hello. I am Nao Hisoka, the Ultimate N.E.E.T." Nao introduced himself.

"Woah! Cool talent! You are the guy to call for lounging around." The girl exclaimed.

Nao was not particularly on board with the way she phrased it but he could not deny that it was suggested by his talent. He could tell this girl is on the laidback side. She was an unpredictable ball of energy according to Nao.

"Well, it is my turn to introduce myself! Yo! I am **Asuka Kiyora**, but I will prefer it if you call me **Roxanne Mercury**! As you may have noticed, due to my clothing and guitar, I am known as the... drumroll, please... **Ultimate Rocker**!"

* * *

**Asuka Kiyora a.k.a. Roxanne Mercury**

**Ultimate Rocker**

**Age: 18**

**Height: 5'9"**

**Weight: 140 lbs.**

**Likes: singing, cooking, and video games**

**Dislikes: alcohol, drugs, and perverts**

* * *

"I created many types of songs, but my well-known songs are Punk Rock music and managed to make it in number one in the Top 100 in America and first in the Oricon in Japan multiple times. Around the world, I am known as The Queen of Punk Rock!" Asuka continued boasting of her achievements even though no one was asking about it.

"I see. I don't mean to meddle with your business but why were you fighting with Kayle earlier?" Nao asked to find out what happened.

"You see, that bitch keeps comparing me with Umeko! Just because we are both celebrities does not mean we should act the same way. Umeko is a clean-cut pop idol while I am a badass chick!" Asuka shouted and looked at Kayle's direction.

Nao tried to calm Asuka down before they start another fight. With what Asuka mentioned, he did not know Umeko was an idol. It must have been the reason why she was familiar with him. He was not much into pop music but he has heard songs from the past of idols. Maybe he has heard one of hers before.

"Umeko is an idol?" Nao asked.

"You did not know? For real?" Asuka asked.

"Yes."

"What? I have never heard of anyone not knowing who Umeko is. She is the main vocalist of the pop idol group 'Pink Punk' who has topped the charts countless of times." Asuka answered while Nao just blankly stared at Asuka.

"But, why is she the Ultimate Environmentalist?" Nao asked the rocker.

"She has a show dedicated to the environment and created various environmental projects. You seriously did not know who she was?" Asuka could not still believe Nao's claim.

Nao looked at Umeko's direction. Umeko saw him look at her and gave him a smile and a wave of a hand. Nao nodded back at her. Umeko went back to talking to Reyes and Kayle. Nao looked back at Asuka and shook his head. Asuka's jaw dropped. She is still baffled by the fact Nao did not know her.

"I am still shocked. One of the most beautiful and most talented and most kind-hearted and most famous women fetched you from your sleep and you did not know her! Her fandom would tear you to shreds for not knowing her." Asuka claimed.

"Well, thank you for that information, Roxanne." Nao then moved on to the person at his right. It was a guy with a slightly tanned skin tone. His eyes were an electric blue. The shade gave off the feeling of artificial. His hair was an electric yellow but the roots were brown. Spikes of hair were sprouting out of his head. He almost looked like a shonen protagonist. He was wearing a simple black shirt with a yellow lightning bolt printed in the center. He had dark blue jeans and brown sneakers. His get-up would have been the most pedestrian if it weren't for the ridiculous black cloak draped behind his back.

_What is up with him? Don't tell me he lives in some sort of fantasy land!_

Nao hesitantly initiated a conversation with the guy.

"Hello!" Nao greeted him.

"Hello mortal! You must be exhilarated to be in my presence! I cannot blame you for that! Hahahahaha!" Nao was left speechless. He could not continue to speak to him.

_No! He has an 8th-grade syndrome! How?_

"Are you stupefied by my mere presence? I guess that is how powerful I am! Tyche must have blessed upon you the fortune to meet me!" The man continued rumbling how great he was.

Nao was starting to be irritated by the man. _Nobody cares! I just want to know your name._

"Wow! Your talent must be amazing! What is your name so that I can address you properly to show my deep appreciation of you?" Nao played along to end the conversation.

"I am **Ayumu Watanabe**, son of Zeus, protector of the weak, vanquisher of evil, the personification of justice, vessel of intelligence, the **Ultimate Mythologist**! Hahahahahahahahaha!"

* * *

**Ayumu Watanabe**

**Ultimate Mythologist**

**Age: 15**

**Height: 5'6"**

**Weight: 134 lbs.**

**Likes: lightning, comic books, and food**

**Dislikes: hunger, the cold, and skeptics**

* * *

"Son of Zeus, protector of the weak, vanquisher of evil, the personification of justice, vessel of intelligence? That is a long list of credentials! You must be an unsung hero!" Nao jokingly said.

"Yes, I am! W-w-what do you think of m-m-me? A ph-phony! There is no way I am a phony. Be careful of what you accuse me of or you will face my wrath!" Ayumu's strong front started to crumble. This showed a lot of things to Nao. He already had an idea of what Ayumu really is. _What happened to him?_

"I did not mean anything like that!" Nao quickly defended himself.

"G-g-good! Good! Now, I shall find a way to get us out of here!" Ayumu turned around and walked away from him.

Nao could not help but sigh. Their conversation was draining. It was really hard for him to maintain a decent conversation with Ayumu. Although, he does not hate him nor find him annoying. He just thought of him as a weirdo with an inferiority complex.

He was about to look for someone to talk to when someone tapped on his shoulder. It was a man. He was the tallest out of everyone there. He had a muscular built. He had a tan complexion with a light dusting of freckles on his nose and cheeks. His hair is a long curly blonde tied into a messy bun with two strands loose to frame his face. His hair roots were light brown. His nose is rather wide, with a slight indent in the middle as a result of a former break there. His eyes are downturned and light blue in color. The man has a scar on his left cheek, underneath his eye. He was wearing a bright red hoodie with a white cross on the front and the word "RESCUER" underneath the cross and on the sleeves. Behind of his is a white cross, as well as "01" printed underneath it. Over-top, they have a white lanyard with a steel whistle attached. He was wearing a deep blue swimming trunks that reach to about his knees with white trim. For his footwear, he is wearing bright red sneakers.

The man gave him a wave and smiled. He reached out his hand to receive a high-five from Nao. Nao was hesitant to give him that but he eventually did a high-five.

"Yeah!" The man said.

_What?_

"I am sorry about that. Hi! Name's Ichimako Watadzumi but most people just call me Mako. I am the Ultimate Lifeguard!" The man smiled.

* * *

**Ichimako Watadzumi**

**Ultimate Lifeguard**

**Age: 19**

**Height: 6'5"**

**Weight: 188 lbs.**

**Likes: aquariums, sunny days, and hot brewed coffee**

**Dislikes: crab, mint, and heat**

* * *

Nao introduced himself and got the response he had from Asuka. He marveled at the fact that Nao must have been a great slacker to catch the attention of Hope's Peak. Mako continued on and Nao felt like it could go on forever. Mako did not notice Nao's apathy of what he has been saying. Instead, Mako continued on thinking Nao cared.

"Before I forget, I am non-binary." Mako said.

Nao was caught off-guard with Mako's statement. He thought he would not hear something worth taking note of from Mako.

"I just wanted to put it out there y'know! To lessen the confusion about me. You can refer to me as he or they but I usually use they." Nao took note of that. He did not want to misgender anybody. He believed that people should be able to live their truest selves and misgendering people is a hindrance to that goal.

"Noted." Nao shortly said. Mako continued dominating their conversation. Nao wanted to add some things but he could not because of how Mako controlled the conversation. He did not think it was worth forcing himself on to the conversation and shut up and listened to him. Surprisingly, he learned a lot of things about their situation from Mako.

He found out that they were truly in a school building and no one knew how they got here. They were all asked to gather around in the gymnasium. People tried to look for an escape but they all failed. The building has multiple rooms and floors but the stairs and some rooms were locked. Some think they have been kidnapped.

Mako left Nao alone after telling everything he knew. Nao was left alone again. He counted everyone he has met. If his count was right, there were three people left for him meet. He looked around to see where the other three were. Looking around, he saw a tall man in the corner.

He was not as tall as Mako but he was near Mako's height. He had long spiky burgundy mahogany hair fashioned into a wild messy bun with his long hair trailing behind him and ending near his waistline with messy spiked ends framing the sides of his face and some silver streaks scattered throughout his hair. His eyes were of a triangular shape with two different colors. The left one was bright orange and the right one was bright green. He had a dark furrowed eyebrows. His facial features were angular and chiseled. His nose was of Grecian shape. He had a slight tan and a noticeable 5 o'clock shadow. He had a bodybuilder physique. There were two noticeable vertical scars over both of his eyebrows, some small cuts, and scars over his mouth, a medium-sized X shaped scar on his back, some cuts and animal scratch marks on his legs and near the lower side of his torso and some smaller cuts around his arms and a few long ones on his shoulders. He had two tattoos that both extend from his wrists to shoulders; the left arm is a long fire breathing dragon tattoo with broken skulls scattered around the dragon's scales and on the right arm is an angry tiger tattoo with red claw marks surrounded by roses messily scattered by the tiger and on his torso is the kanji for death painted in dark red on his abs with tiny painted on blood streaks made with small painted black lines meant to look like cuts on his chest area.

The intimidating man was not wearing much. For his top, he was only wearing a black chest harness with a silver skull-shaped crest on the center of his chest, red and silver spiked shoulder pads with golden trim along the edges on both of his shoulders, silk white pieces of fabric wrapped around his hands and knuckles with red paint splotches made to look like bloodied bandages. On his lower half, he wore a black compression shorts, a dark black thick warrior styled belt around his waist with silver and golden embellishments on the bright red loincloth which covers his crotch and behind the area with a dark brown ribbon tied around it. On his legs, he wore black steel leg armor guards with golden spikes on the front with dark red tabi shoes on his feet that expose his toes dark red rope tied around it to fasten it in place and dark grey shin guards underneath.

For accessories, he wore a metal demon-like face mask that covers only his mouth area with silver fang-like teeth with black gums around it tied around his neck, an oval jade amulet tied with a gold chain around his neck, spiked black cuff bracelets around both of his wrists and he wields a small dual-sided axe fastened with dark brown harness behind his back with caked on dark blood near the blade and the handle has silver trim along the brown edges.

Nao was hesitant to talk to him but he knew he had to eventually. He walked towards him. He stopped and immediately introduced himself. The man removed his mask and introduced himself.

"Greetings, tiny ant, bow down in the presence of the Mighty Conqueror himself, **Samuru Yagyuu**, **Ultimate Executioner **incarnate! My axe strikes swift terror into the hearts of many, best not get on my bad side." The man threatened Nao.

* * *

**Samuru Yagyuu**

**Ultimate Executioner**

**Age: 18**

**Height: 6'4"**

**Weight: 176 lbs.**

**Likes: fighting, video games, and iced tea**

**Dislikes: peppermint, classical music, and capes**

* * *

Nao opened his tablet to see whether Samuru was telling the truth or not. He read it and it was true. The only thing he could think off was how crazy Hope's Peak is. First, they recruited a slacker like him. Then, they recruited an executioner. Nao started questioning Hope's Peak's morals. _Are they only interested in recruiting ultimates regardless of what their talent is? _He read Samuru hated capes. _Poor Ayumu. Samuru must be annoyed by him for wearing a cape-like thing. _

Nao gulped before he spoke again. "What exactly do you do?"

Samuru snickered first before answering Nao. He puffed his chest and had his arms akimbo. He raised his chin and smiled. It was obvious that he is proud of what he does no matter what it was. He started speaking with an arrogant air.

"I execute criminals who have done nothing but be a burden to society. They do not deserve pity! They deserve punishment! We, the public, deserve fairness and justice. No one should be able to walk the streets with someone immoral. It is my duty to make sure this is what happens!" Samuru proudly explained as if he was expecting applause from Nao.

_His ideas are scary. His end goal is admirable but his means is questionable. Reyes is a person of justice. What is her say on this?_

Nao could feel the bloodlust Samuru was emanating. It was troubling for Nao. He just labeled Samuru dangerous and someone to avoid. Nao said goodbye and parted ways. He quickly looked for one of the two remaining people he had not talked to yet. He soon saw a woman come out from the door they came in.

The lady was pale-skinned. Her hair was black and wavy, slightly longer than shoulder length with a side-swept fringe, and was worn down with a simple white ribbon tied in one side. Her eyes were somewhat heavy-lidded, and her facial features were somewhat thin and pinched. She was slightly smirking. She was wearing a white sleeveless blouse with a lacy collar. Around her neck was a dusty blue neck ribbon. She was wearing a grey sports leggings with a white stripe up the side of her legs. She was wearing dark blue trainers with white laces and white socks. Around her waist was her black hoodie tied around like a skirt.

She was walking and Nao could not help but go to her. He stopped when she was already in the court. He nodded to her and had a smile. She nodded as well and smiled. Nao's first impression of the girl was that she was a quiet one. She took a step forward towards him and initiated the conversation. Nao was surprised by this.

"Hello! Uhmm, it seems we have yet to introduce ourselves to each other. Let me start. I am **Manon Aida**, the **Ultimate Cyclist**."

* * *

**Manon Aida**

**Ultimate Cyclist**

**Age: 17**

**Height: 5'7"**

**Weight: 133 lbs.**

**Likes: cats, skyscrapers, and crime thrillers**

**Dislikes: Tetris, lizards, and make-up**

* * *

Nao introduced himself and the cyclist did not really have any reaction on Nao or his talent. Manon treated it as if it was normal to be praised as a N.E.E.T.. After that, there was a long pause before anyone started speaking again. Nao did not know if Manon was still interested to talk to him. It was apparent neither were willing to talk beyond that point.

"Eh, sorry! I do not know what to talk about with you. I am a night person. Maybe you can relate to that since you are a N.E.E.T. and N.E.E.T.s typically stay up late." Manon added.

Nao giggled a bit with what Manon said. Manon was curious about what Nao found funny in what she said. Nao brushed it off quickly. After that, a question popped into his head.

"Where did you go?" Nao asked Manon.

"Uhmmm, I went to the comfort room. The one in here is locked. I had to go out just to pee." Manon explained.

After that, it became awkward again since neither wanted to continue talking but neither wanted to go away from each other. Manon looked to her right and pointed at a person. She looked at Nao and smiled.

"Have you met him yet?" Manon pointed at a boy.

Nao looked at the boy and he knew he was the last person he has not talked to yet.

"Actually, he is the only person I have not yet talked to." Nao answered.

"I think you should, uhmmm, you should talk to him. He is quite amazing." Manon answered.

"Okay." Nao coldly replied to Manon as she pushes him to go meet the boy.

"I am sorry if it seems like I am disinterested in you. I am just not in the right mood yet." Manon explained herself.

Nao completely understood her. He moved on and walked towards the boy. The boy standing in front of the bleachers. The boy appeared to be a thin person that has an overall soft appearance. His hair was light purple, fluffy and was styled in a quiff. His skin is relatively pale, but not unhealthily so. His eyes were round and cornflower blue. He's always smiling and has the general aura of a small child. He was wearing a white dress shirt with a purple bow tie. The sleeves were long, but they were rolled up. Along with this, he was wearing black trousers and black shoes, with white socks. He had glasses as well. Also, he had a red handbag.

As Nao came closer, he noticed the boy had two hand puppets. On his right was a puppet with blonde yarn for hair and purple buttons for eyes. It was "wearing" a yellow sundress and a white pinafore. On his left was a tan-colored puppet with red yarn for hair. Its eyes were made up of orange buttons and it was "wearing" brown coat.

In front of the boy was a small audience. Umeko and Eri were sitting on the bleacher watching the boy perform a puppet show. Nao slowly walked towards Umeko and Eri. Nao sat down beside Umeko and watched the show. He was amazed by the material the boy has. His jokes were funny and everything was paced perfectly. The boy's show ended and the three clapped.

"He was amazing, isn't he?" Umeko whispered to Nao.

Nao could not agree more. The charm of the boy added to the whimsy of his act.

"Y-y-you were great! Hon-n-ney and I loved it!" Eri shouted at the little boy.

"Thank you! I really practice a lot for my performances! I could have done better but thank you for appreciating it!" The boy jumped up and down in glee. The boy quickly raced up to the bleachers to where Umeko and Nao were sitting. The boy asked for comments from Umeko. Nao just sat their silently observing both.

After a few minutes, the boy recognized Nao's presence.

"Hello, sir! I am sorry if I completely disregarded you!" The boy apologized.

"No worries. I understood you were getting feedback from her." Nao did not mind the boy at all.

"Well, I think we have not introduced ourselves. I am **Takashiro Tanoshi**, the Ultimate **Ventriloquist**! Nice to meet you! Hihihihihi!"

* * *

**Takashiro Tanoshi**

**Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**Age: 16**

**Height: 5'4"**

**Weight: 125 lbs.**

**Likes: berries, candies, and parties**

**Dislikes: bean sprouts, cakes, and schedules**

* * *

"These are my puppets. On my right is Tori-chan." Takashiro raised his right hand.

"Hello! It is me, Tori-chan!" Takashiro spoke in a high-pitched, melodic tone.

"On my left is Tsune-kun" Takashiro raised his left hand.

"Hi." Takashiro spoke in a rough, gravelly, husky tone.

"I also have another puppet in my handbag. Wait for a second! I will introduce him to you!" Takashiro put his two puppets in his handbag and took out another one. It was made of a beige material with purple yarn pretending as hair. Its eyes were made of black buttons. It was "wearing" a black suit and red bow tie.

"Shhh! Hello. I am Bon-san. Glad to meet your acquaintance." Takashiro whispered in a soft, formal tone.

"These are my puppets!" Takashiro smiled at Nao.

"You are very talented." Nao pats Takashiro on his head like a kid.

Takashiro smiled.

"I think I have to introduce myself." Nao introduces himself. Takashiro did not know what his talent means. Nao explained it to him and Takashiro was amazed by it. Nao did warn Takashiro not to do it. Nao explained that Takashiro should continue doing what he does best.

"You seem like a good person!" Takashiro said.

"You think so?" Umeko asked Takashiro.

"Yes!"

Umeko smiled at the two. Eri joined the three and they continued to talk to each other. They were mainly laughing due to Nao not knowing Umeko and her songs. They had a blast and forgot their situation. It was a short moment of happiness. However, it suddenly stopped when the curtains on the stage were opened.

"What was that?" Umeko whispered as she saw the curtains open.

Nao took a look and saw the stage. It had a podium in the middle of it. Other than that, the stage was pretty empty. There was no backdrop and the lights were off. It was as if it opened by magic.

"W-w-what?" Eri suddenly asked.

People started to gather in the middle of the gymnasium. Nao and the others got off the bleachers and joined the group. It obviously disturbed people. A lot of mumblings were happening. Umeko was calming Eri down. Kayle and Jitsunori were doing their part by talking to Rei who was visibly shaking. People like Samuru and Asuka, on the other hand, were the polar opposite.

"Who could have put us here?" Samuru suddenly gripped on his axe.

"That fucker! I have a jamming session I cannot miss!" Asuka yelled.

The tension was rising in the air. People's hearts were pounding. Some were curious to see who could have taken them here. Some were hoping this will be some elaborate joke while others were preparing for the worst. Behind the crowd was Nao thinking of only one thing. _Can I go home already?_

* * *

**That is it for now! What did you think of the characters? Tell me in the reviews! I love hearing your thoughts on them! Who do you think will survive, kill, and die? Who do you think is the mastermind?**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you could join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. If you are having trouble with it, PM me.**

**That is all for now! Thank you for reading! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	8. End Of A Normal Life 2

Hello guys! I really worked hard on this chapter! I am so excited for all of you to read this. It was fun making it. I hope you will enjoy this.

Without further ado, here is "End of a Normal Life 2".

* * *

The sixteen students were confused about what was happening. They woke up and found themselves stuck in an unfamiliar building that seemed to be a school building. A quirky voice told them to wait in a spacious gymnasium. Now, as they were chatting with each other, the red velvet curtains were drawn open revealing the stage. It revealed a podium made of ebony. In the middle of it was the logo of Hope's Peak Academy. Besides the podium was a black microphone stand with a microphone that was wireless. On the far right of the stage was a flagpole with a flag that had the emblem of Hope's Peak Academy. The floor of the stage was made of wooden planks of mahogany. It was reflecting the lights shining on it indicating it was newly polished.

The ultimates were curious as to what will happen next. Some were readying for the worst gripping on one of their belongings as if they were weapons while others were blissfully ignorant of their situation. The students gathered in the middle of the gymnasium getting more anxious as the seconds passed by.

"Where is our kidnapper? I am going to fucking bash his skull open!" Asuka shouted with a tone of annoyance.

"He must be punished for holding us captive! I will not let this pass!" Samuru added as his grip tightened on his battle-ax.

Samuru and Asuka continued making statements that made others feel uncomfortable. A notable person that was affected was Rei. Rei tightened her grip on herself as she started trembling in fear. At first, her body was shivering as if she was stuck in a meat locker. As Samuru and Asuka continued, her legs became wobbly forcing her to fall on her knees. It created a loud thud making everyone look at her except for Nao who was already observing her before she cracked under pressure.

"N-n-no! I-I-I…Aaaah!" Rei started freaking out. She tried to voice out everything she wanted to do but all she could say were syllables that did not make any sense. Her tears came rushing down to be followed by another scream that made everyone shudder.

_What is up with her? _Nao immediately thought as he continued observing in the background where he wanted to stay.

This sight prompted Jitsunori and Kayle to approach her in an attempt to calm her down. They tried talking to her but nothing got through her. It was obvious with the look in her eyes. It was only filled with terror. She put her hands on her temple and shook her head as she mumbled.

"No no no no no no no no no no…" She continued repeating herself.

Asuka was obviously annoyed with how Rei was acting. She stroked her hair and rolled her eyes as she watched Rei tremble in fear. Kayle took notice of this and did not say anything. She simply shook her head and continued helping Rei. Asuka saw this and was annoyed. She stomped getting Kayle and everyone else's attention. She pointed her finger at Kayle and shouted.

"Bitch! Do you have another problem with me, huh? Come fight me you, stupid motherfucker!" Asuka continued insulting Kayle but Kayle did not let it bother her. However, it continued for so long that it eventually got on Kayle's nerve. Her look was still the same but her aura quickly changed. She smiled at her as she looked directly at her eyes.

"Please stop shouting. You are making people uncomfortable. Your cooperation will be highly appreciated!" Kayle went back to taking care of Rei. However, Asuka did not stop. What Kayle said made her more infuriated. She stomped her way to Kayle as if she was ready to hurt her.

Nao was standing behind the crowd with Eri, Umeko, and Takashiro watching as things unfolded. Eri tugged Nao's jacket making him look at her. She was mustering her confidence to say what she wanted to say. In the end, all she could do was look to the ground again avoiding Nao's eyes. She fiddled with Honey and spoke.

"I-I-I think something needs to-to be done before a fight starts to hap-p-pen." Nao immediately agreed with Eri. He knew that whatever their situation was, fighting with the others would not be helpful.

Hoping he would not regret this decision, Nao started walking towards Kayle. Asuka got to Kayle first. She was about to shout at Kayle when Nao suddenly clapped his hands near Asuka's right ear. It also stopped Rei from trembling since her attention was on Nao and not on their situation. Asuka looked at him as she covered her right ear with her right hand. Nao looked at Jitsunori and Jitsunori quickly understood what Nao needed him to do.

"We should try to calm down. Nothing great will come out from fear. Please be considerate of others." Jitsunori quickly reasoned out making Asuka go away.

Nao was walking back to where he was when a piece of music suddenly played. The music was composed of strikes of cymbals, beats of drums, and tunes of lyres. It was reminiscent of music played by a drum and lyre corp. The percussion made the music upbeat while the high tunes produced by the lyres made it seem joyous. Even though the melody was happy and upbeat, it gave off an eerie feel, especially with their current situation.

Nao stopped in front of Hana and Ayumu. He turned around and looked at the stage to find out if there was something worth noting. As soon as he turned around, he immediately noticed the creepy wax dolls that looked like children dressed up as members of a marching band. Each doll held an instrument. It was either cymbals, a drum, or a lyre. With the sound accompanying the dolls, it was enough to give someone a nightmare for days.

"Promise me you will protect me if anything happens, okay!" Hana whispered to Ayumu who was obviously frazzled by the sight.

"M-m-me? O-o-of course I will! I am the protector of the…weak." Ayumu unconvincingly claimed and promised.

"Don't tell me your whole spiel was a lie! All that 'protector of the weak' talk must be made up." Hana teased Ayumu. Nao was surprised to see at least one of them does not seem to take their situation that seriously.

"It is not a lie! I will protect you even if it is the last thing I will do!" Ayumu boisterously replied back to Hana's tease. Hana let out a fiendish smile as Ayumu promised to her. She put her right hand on her mouth covering her smile.

"Thank you! You really are the protector of the weak! I am counting on you to protect me and the others!" Hana cheekily continued teasing Ayumu despite the tension in the air.

Besides the three was Jirou who was totally appalled by the behavior of the two, specifically of Hana's. He just rolled his eyes and whispered in silence. "An ignoramus." Nao heard it but did not bother replying since he somewhat agreed with Jirou and did not want to make a scene out of something small. He had something worse to take care of; the performance on the stage.

The music was taking too long. The anxiety was building up in each student. It was starting to anger some of the people. Samuru was one of them. He flailed his ax luckily not hitting anyone. Although, it made people flinch especially those who were near him. He stopped flailing his ax by hitting it on the floor cracking the surface it landed on.

"I have had enough of this childish games! Come out you devil!" Samuru ran towards the stage. As he neared the stage, he jumped and raised his ax readying to slice through the dolls. Suddenly, an explosion occurred making Samuru fly off. Luckily, he landed without any scratch.

The explosion came from one of the wax dolls. It quickly caught on fire melting the other dolls. The wax drooped to the floor as the smoke from the fire enveloped the gymnasium. The smoke triggered the smoke detector enabling the fire sprinkler on the ceiling to spray water on the dolls including the students. The students were doused with water shocking the students.

"Aaah!" Hana screamed from being doused by water.

"Of course it had to sprinkle water." Mako sarcastically added to the cacophony of screams.

Nao calmly assessed the situation from where he was standing. Most of them were bothered by the water. But like him, Norio, Umeko, and Mako weren't bothered by it as much as the others were. Norio stood there looking at the ceiling without care for the others. On the other hand, Umeko was helping Eri and Takashiro and Mako tried to help the people near him like Reyes.

"Are you alright?" Mako asked Reyes.

"Yes. I was just caught by surprise. That is all." Reyes calmly answered Mako.

Some of the students did not take the dousing of water as well as the others. Jitsunori quickly commented on how his hair might look after it dries up. Hana started shivering more than when Rei was trembling in fear. She quickly hugged herself in an attempt to warm herself up. Manon took a step forward and shouted, "This is too much! We are first kidnapped and then this!"

A lot of people agreed with Manon's comment. The sprinklers shut off. Nao started walking towards Umeko and Eri. Eri was trying to dry her teddy bear. "Oh, no! This will take a long time to dry. I hope there is a dryer here." Eri whispered to herself.

"Let's find one later, okay!" Umeko smiled at Eri.

Nao stopped in front of the two. Umeko looked at him who looked nonchalantly about the situation. She was definitely curious about what was running in Nao's head. Nao could read Umeko's thoughts with her expression of curiosity. He did not want to bother Umeko so he tried to answer her before she even asked.

"This is quite a situation we are in right now." Nao stated in front of the two.

They were trying to tidy themselves when the distinguishable voice appeared out of nowhere. His mumbles could be heard from the stage where the students were standing. It was obvious to the students the source of the voice was near the drawn curtain on the right. His soft footsteps were heard as he approached the curtain.

"What a fiasco! That was a total bummer! That cost me thousands of dollars! I guess I should not have tried something new. Sheesh!" The dismay of the person was obvious in the tone of their voice. It was still nasal and high but it was less energetic.

_Our kidnapper is_ here.

The students prepared themselves to see who took them. Nao's eyes were locked on the curtains anticipating the person who was behind everything that happened to them today. He did not care for what the others were doing. All he wanted to know was who the person was and why they specifically kidnapped him and the others.

Each footstep indicated he was getting nearer to pass the curtain. Thud, thud, thud. After a few more steps, the source of the voice finally appeared only to baffle the students. Nao could not understand at first what he saw. It was a small animatronic, he presumed. It was shaped like a teddy bear and would only reach Nao's thighs. It had a design with its right completely white and its left completely black. The right side looked like a generic stuffed toy while its left side was different. It had a menacing grin showing its teeth and had a red horizontal jagged eye that resembled the Hope's Peak Academy's logo.

Everyone was confused about what walked out. It was totally different from what the students expected. "W-what are you?" Manon shouted.

The bear finally looked at the students who was only looking down on the ground.

"Me?" The bear asked back.

"Yes, you! What are you?" Manon repeated her question.

"Me? Well, I am just a poor bear who failed at making a great welcome performance for his new students!" The bear shook its head.

"Stop joking around! I demand a proper explanation for our situation!" Reyes took out her epee and pointed it at the bear.

"And you can also add 'a bear who failed at making a connection with his students'. What a failure of a principal am I?" The bear claimed.

_Principal? _The word took Nao's attention. _Why would he call himself the principal? Now that he mentioned it, he kept claiming us as his new students. What is up with that? _Nao could not get pass that. However, it was not that bothered him the most about the bear. It was the way it looked. He knew he saw the bear somewhere before but could not clearly remember where.

He looked around him to see everyone's reaction however one stood out the most. It was Jirou's. It was obvious Jirou paled from seeing the bear. Sweat was trickling down on his forehead. His jaw dropped and could not say a single word. It was the first time he saw Jirou without his smug stature.

Nao was curious why Jirou was speechless seeing the bear. However, it was not just him who noticed this reaction. Kayle walked to him and stopped behind him. She tapped him on his shoulders. "What is the matter? Is there something wrong with the bear?" Kayle asked. Jirou quickly turned around and his proud façade came back.

"You don't know that bear?" He looked around and saw none were able to recognize it. He crossed his arms and shook his head in disappointment. "You guys ought to read our history more. It seems none of you know what that bear is and what it is capable of. If it is the same bear, I hope we will not find ourselves in…his game."

_What game are you talking about Jirou?_

After hearing Jirou's statement, everyone's attention went back to the bear who had yet to introduce itself to the students. It stood there soullessly looking at the students talking to each other. The students were awaiting for what the bear was about to say next.

"Well, I guess it is time for me to introduce myself! I am Monokuma and I will be your school principal! Yippee!" The bear clapped as it jumped up and down. The students were not enjoying the sight as much as Monokuma enjoying itself.

"Where are we?" Manon quickly shouted at Monokuma breaking the uncomfortable giggle of the bear. Monokuma stopped jumping and looked at Manon.

"Of course you are in Hope's Peak Academy! The school whose goal is to nourish you into an effective member of society and not be a burden especially with your talents." Monokuma answered pretending he did not understand the weight of Manon's question.

Asuka stepped forward and pointed her finger at Monokuma. "Hey, badger!" Asuka shouted.

"I am not a fucking badger! I am a bear for your information, you blind bitch!" Monokuma feistily snapped back at Asuka surprising everyone.

"Stop playing around! How long will you keep us here?" Asuka shouted again.

"Upupupupu!" Monokuma giggled as the students' annoyance grew. It came off as if Monokuma was not taking them seriously. It had its right paw on his mouth and its left paw behind him.

"Hey! We demand an answer, you beast!" Samuru shouted. Monokuma continued giggling annoying Samuru. Samuru took his battle-ax and walked towards the bear on the stage. He slowly walked as his steps vibrated through the floor. When he was already in front of the stage, he jumped onto it with ease. He took Monokuma by its throat and raised it in the air.

"How long!" Samuru shouted.

Samuru's shout did not bother Monokuma. It giggled and stopped. Monokuma finally decided to answer their question.

"As far as I know chump, you are stuck here forever! Hahahahahaha!" It laughed eerily. Samuru was infuriated with Monokuma's answer. Its tone said that it was not still taking them seriously. Out of patience, Samuru crushed Monokuma's neck silencing it. He threw its bits on the floor and jumped off the stage. He nonchalantly brushed the bits off of his hands.

"Now that it is dead, let's look for a way out of here." Samuru rejoined the group.

Suddenly, the distinguishable voice came back. "Upupupu!" It laughed as it popped out of nowhere on stage. "Did you miss me?"

Samuru could not believe that it was still on its feet. "I crushed you!"

"You cannot kill evil that easily mister! Hihihihi!" Monokuma giggled.

Samuru quickly rushed towards Monokuma. It leaped and aimed its ax on Monokuma. He was in midair to throw it when Monokuma shouted, "That is it! Enough fun and games! Spear Gungnir, I call thee!" It raised its hands when spears started raining on stage. Samuru swiftly dodged the spears and was luckily free of scratches. He landed on his two feet.

The stage was severely damaged by the spears. The floor was cracked with panels of wood sticking out. The spears were embedded on the floor like it was sprouting out of it. The stage was wrecked. The only thing unscathed was the podium where Monokuma was standing.

It cleared up its throat and started talking. "Listen, you punks! That was a warning! Try harming me again and I will make sure my spears will pierce through you." His tone suddenly shifted from a relaxed vibe to an angry one. "You are stuck here forever! You hear me!"

The students started to murmur to each other. Some were mocking him like Hana. "You are stuck here forever! You hear me! Hahahahahaha! What a bluff!" She hugged herself as she laughed at her own mockery. Unlike her, Rei was panicking. "F-f-for-e-e-ev-v-v-er?" She kept on repeating the word staring straight at the floor. Others took it silently like Norio. "I guess he is serious about the kidnapping." However, the majority were infuriated. "This is a kidnapping! You cannot do this! This is against the law!" Reyes shouted.

"The law? Oh no! I will be doomed!" Monokuma sarcastically replied back to the princess.

"You should not make fun of the law! You have three people here who can make you pay for your crimes!" Samuru pointed out. He was talking about Norio, Reyes, and himself.

He stood akimbo leaning forward. "I don't give a shit about the law outside of these four walls! If I did, I would not have kidnapped you shit for brains!" Monokuma shouted stressing on his insult to the students.

_He is admitting he kidnapped us. Obviously, it is not actually the robot but why? Even if it is true, why did he kidnap us? I am sure he will tell us but he cannot with the commotion._

"I am the law here!" Monokuma stomped.

The students kept quiet after Monokuma stomped. They kept quiet to listen to what he was about to say next.

"That's better! Now listen up! I will be sending the rules to be followed in this school while you are staying here. You can talk to each other about it later but I want to announce something very important first." Monokuma quickly snickered after.

_Rules? He really is treating their situation as if he is our principal. What could be more important about that?_

Monokuma crossed his arms and continued talking. "I want to talk about your graduation! Upupupupu!" Monokuma laughed ominously.

_Graduation? Whoever is controlling it must be crazy!_

Nao was passive about Monokuma's statement. Most of them found it weird but one was suddenly worried. His face paled. The announcement made him take a step back and gulp. "Oh no!" Jirou whispered as he took a step back.

After noticing this, Nao was quickly curious why Jirou was worried for their situation. He personally did not find what Monokuma said that worrying. _Is there something to be worried about other than being kidnapped?_

Mako, who was besides Jirou, went to him. "What is it? Is there something wrong?" Mako put their hand on Jirou's shoulder and asked.

"You guys really have no idea?" Jirou shouted.

Monokuma quickly cut him off. "It looks like one of you already understands where I am going. Upupupu!"

Jirou whispered, "Just tell them already."

"With pleasure!" Monokuma jumped off-stage and landed on an unscratched edge of the stage.

"You guys really need to read your history. You only have one requirement to comply with. It is easy. All you have to do is to commit a beautiful murder!" Monokuma clapped his hands as he merrily announced.

_Murder, huh?_

Everyone started to panic after hearing the announcement. A lot of them were disgusted by the mere thought of committing the act.

"I think I am going to puke." Takashiro claimed. He put his hands over his mouth and stopped himself.

Others were enraged by this. "Murder? How dare you! If this is a joke, it is not funny!" Reyes draws out her epee and was ready to attack the bear. However, she was stopped by the shout of Samuru. "Murder! You have a thick skin ordering us to do something while I am here!"

"What are you going to do about it? Crush me? I have millions of clones that can replace me just to ensure this will continue." Monokuma teased Samuru shutting him up.

_Samuru cannot do anything. Even if he crushes one of them, another one will replace it just like last time._

"The only way to get out of here is to murder someone. You can look for an exit all you want but I assure you that you will fail! The walls are impenetrable. The floor is made of thick steel. The windows are covered with thick sheets of metal. You are stuck here." Monokuma stared at the students like helpless little ants.

"Murder someone and get away with it. It is just a piece of cake!" Monokuma cheerily claimed.

_Get away with it?_

"Wait a minute!" Nao shouted who had been quiet the whole time. Everyone's attention was on him. He did not care. All he wanted to know is the answer for his next question.

"What do you mean by 'get away with it'?" Nao asked.

Monokuma giggled before finally answering. "You are one attentive student. You are going to be interesting. Well, to answer that, I will now explain the mechanics for your graduation. You have to murder someone to be up for consideration. Once you have committed murder, you will be dubbed as the blackened. The other students will be given enough time to investigate the murder. After the given time, all of you, including the blackened, will be participating in a trial wherein all of you will talk it out who the blackened is. If the class correctly guesses who the blackened is, the blackened will be punished while the other students will continue living in here. If the guess is wrong, the blackened graduates and gets away while the others will be punished."

"W-w-what do you mean by 'punished'?" Eri softly asked Monokuma.

"Execution! A gruesome and heart-pounding execution will be prepared for each one of you." Monokuma excitedly shouted.

A lot of them were taken aback by this. Most could not believe this was happening to them.

"This is inhumane." Kayle mumbled.

"Well, I am not human! I am a bear after all!" Monokuma boisterously laughed.

Reyes was disgusted by this response. "You are a monster!"

"I am." Monokuma agreed. This response sent shivers down everyone's spine. It was frightening to realize they are in their situation. Nao could not help but feel scared for the first time after waking up in the unfamiliar room. He could only stare at the bear.

_He really is serious about this._

"Shot to the head, crushed by a bear trap, torn to pieces, electrocuted, beheaded by a guillotine. Name it and I got it. Such beautiful tortures!" Monokuma exclaimed.

Suddenly, Rei shouted with fear. It was loud and the fear was unmistakably audible. It was shrill and gut-wrenching. Uncomfortable to the ears, nobody could say anything since it was what everyone was feeling about it. Everyone was enveloped with fear. They feared death.

"Looks like some are already thinking about it." Everyone quickly looked at each other. _It is definitely a bluff. You are one tricky kidnapper. It might not affect me but I am sure some will easily bend to the fear._

"Upupupupu! I am going to leave now!" And just like that, Monokuma was gone. Everyone was left standing in the middle of the court confused. _Now, what do we do? _Unable to move, they all just looked at each other waiting for everyone's next move. Distrust was starting to form between everyone. _I guess this is the start. _

After a few seconds, Samuru started walking towards Jirou who was undeniably knowledgeable of their situation. Samuru looked at Jirou with his stern eyes. Jirou did not back down and looked straight at him. Samuru trudged through the wet floor. Finally, he reached Jirou who was smugly standing. Suddenly, Samuru yanked Jirou's collar making Jirou stand on his toes. Jirou grabbed Samuru's hands in an attempt to free himself but he failed. Obviously, Samuru was too strong for Jirou. All Jirou could do was request to let him go.

"Let go off me, you ruffian!" Jirou shouted.

Samuru did not listen. "What do you know? Tell us now!" Samuru ordered Jirou. However, Jirou did not heed and continued to asking Samuru to let him go.

"I said let me go!" Jirou persistently begged Samuru.

"I want to know now!" Samuru continued.

"Get off of me!" Jirou shouted again.

"Just tell us!"

"Put me down!"

"Spill it!"

"Take your hands off of me!"

The dialogue between Samuru and Jirou continued as if no one else were in the room. It was starting to get frustrating. It was endless. Neither one would yield to the other's command. However, it suddenly stopped when Samuru asked a question.

"Are you with Monokuma? Why are you not cooperating?" Samuru shouted. Jirou was silenced. He was shocked by the accusation. Jirou was about to pop off. It infuriated him. The fight between them was about to escalate.

Nao could not take it anymore. He knew someone must intervene. He tapped on the shoulder of the person in front of him. It was Reyes. She quickly turned around to see Nao.

"Stop them please." Nao softly asked Reyes. Reyes quickly understood. She went to the two as fast as she could. Samuru balled his right hand into a fist and was ready to punch Jirou when Reyes quickly hit him with her epee. It was just a flick. Samuru only got a scratch. However, it caught him off-guard.

"Stop this now!" Reyes calmly ordered the two. Samuru instantly let Jirou go. Jirou was able to stand properly on his two feet again. Jirou fixed his collar and looked at Reyes. "Thank you."

"Now that Samuru let you go, tell us everything we need to know." Reyes demanded on Jirou.

At first, Jirou was hesitant but he eventually gave in. Jirou cleared his throat before speaking again.

"I guess there is no harm in sharing this to all of you but I must warn you that I will not repeat myself again. Please listen carefully." Jirou was able to get everyone's attention. He looked around to see if everyone was ready to listen. After that, he started explaining what he knew.

"That bear was the mascot of the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in history decades ago. During his terrifying reign on humanity, he created killing games such as this. To those who are not taking this serious, please know that he is dead serious about the mechanics. He will push you to kill. In the first recorded killing game, only one survived. The most famous one had six people survive out of the sixteen. If I were you, be scared for your life. Trust nobody. The person standing beside you can be the one who will murder you in this game." Everyone looked at the people beside them. Their distrust only continued to grow more.

"I-I-I-I do not want to believe it!" Eri shouted. She tightly hugged her teddy bear.

Everyone looked at her. She closed her eyes and continued talking.

"N-n-nobody in their right mind will kill anyone here. I-I-I choose to believe that! I-I-I put my faith in all of you t-t-to do the right thing." What Eri said was able to snap Nao back to reality. It was not just Nao. Everyone realized that Eri was right. It was not yet a sure deal. It was up to them if somebody will die.

_I cannot believe I just thought that! Eri is right. I…I have to think positive._

"We need to calm down and reassess our situation. We need to create a plan to 'win' this game. We have to help each other." Kayle chimed in. This just boosted everyone's morale.

Out of nowhere, someone snickered. It was Norio. Norio looked at everyone and started walking to the door. He walked as if nothing just happened. He looked at everybody before going out of the room.

"How idealistic. That will kill you." Norio turned his back on everyone and went out of the room.

"I-I-I want t-t-to be alone." Rei stammered as she hurriedly ran out of the room.

"This is what they said at the beginning of the game." Jirou walked out next.

The thirteen students left stood there waiting for what to do next.

"I guess there are people like them who see life like an endless raging stormy sea." Mako said.

It was weird but Nao understood what he meant. Some could only see the bad side of things. Nao felt like saying something when Eri suddenly sneezed.

"Achoo!"

"Aww! You were so cute! You were like some kind of pokemon!" Umeko exclaimed as she looked at Eri. Eri wiped her running snot from her nose with her sleeves. She sniffed indicating she needed to get changed.

"I think we should all get changed. We might get sick if we stay soaked for too long." Nao suggested. Everyone agreed. They all went out of the gymnasium and went back to their respective rooms.

The walk to their rooms was quite. It felt like hours though only a few minutes had passed. No one dared to say anything. All they could do was watch everyone walk with them. Some attempted to talk with each other but felt awkward with the given mood the whole group was in. One by one, people went into their rooms.

Nao was about to get in his room when Umeko called him. "See you later Nao!" Umeko went into her room and closed the door. Nao grabbed the doorknob and felt his tablet vibrated. He took it out and looked at it. It showed in his tablet the words "DOOR ACCESS GRANTED". He opened the door and went back to his room to get changed.

* * *

**End of a Normal Life**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 16**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist**

**Death Toll: 0**

* * *

That is all for now! This is the end of the intro of the game. Next chapter, things will start to get more serious and more heavily plot-driven. Are you excited to see who will survive? Do you want to know who will kill and be killed? Watch out for the coming updates!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I really had fun writing this. It was fun to imagine how each will finally interact with each other! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I want to know your thoughts on what is going on so far. I am interested in your theories about this story. Tell them in the comments if you want to!

If you want to talk about this fanfic and other kinds of stuff, join the discord server for this fanfic. The link is on my profile. If you are having an issue with it, PM me so I can help you!

Quick note: I have already dropped a lot of hints on the fates of the characters. Let's see who will guess what clues I dropped.

Anyways, thank you for reading and I hope you will have a fun day!


	9. Who Killed The Disco Star? 1

**Hello everyone! The first chapter is here! I am so excited to share this with all of you! I worked so hard on this and I hope you will like it!**

**Without further ado, here is Who Killed The Disco Star? Part 1! :)**

* * *

In his own bathroom, Nao took a warm shower. He did not take long to shower. After he was done, he stepped out of his bathtub where he stood to take a shower. He wiped himself up and wrapped the bottom half of his body with a bath towel he found in one of the drawers in the bathroom. With his slightly toned body exposed, he continued preparing. Using a hairdryer he found in the drawer, he dried his hair and styled it into its usual way. Satisfied with his hair, he stepped out of the bathroom. He quickly went to the cabinet with his clothes and took one set out. He quickly slipped into his clothes and sat on his bed.

After sitting down, he quickly lied down on the bed. He took his tablet from the bedside table where he left it before he took a shower. He quickly browsed the files containing the information about the people he was with. As he read each file, he tried to assess each person based on his impression of them and on what the file contained.

_I think I might get along with Umeko. Eri is someone needed to be taken care of. She can be a beacon of hope. Jitsunori is kind, too kind. I don't know how to feel about that. Rei is weird. I hope she gets her act together before things start to get chaotic according to Jirou. Speaking of Jirou, he is smug. Smart but smug. Reyes is dependable. She will be a voice of reason. Hana is mischievous. She is someone to be wary of. Norio does not care. I am not sure. He probably does care but I do not see it. Kayle is helpful, helpful but fake. That is good enough for me for now. Asuka is an annoying person. Ayumu is weird as well. Mako is full of energy. Samuru is scary. I hope I do not get on his bad side. Manon is a wildcard. She could go either way. Lastly, Takashiro is like Eri, needed to be taken care of. These bunch of people is going to be a handful. I just hope they will not get me in trouble._

Nao let out a sigh before changing his position. He sat up straight and opened a new file he received before going inside the bathroom to take a shower. He read each rule to fully understand what situation he was in. The file was named "Rules". It contained the following:

Rule #1

Students may only stay within the school. The attempt of escape is futile.

Rule #2

"Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 6 am. Some areas will be off-limits during this period.

Rule #3

Students are allowed to explore the school with minimal restrictions.

Rule #4

Breaking locked rooms is strictly prohibited.

Rule #5

Students cannot enter any bathroom of their opposite sex. This is not applicable for non-binary students. Non-binary students may use whatever bathroom they want.

Rule #6

Violence against Monokuma is strictly prohibited.

Rule #7

Destruction of any school property is prohibited unless it is needed for a murder plan. This includes but not limited to toilets, cameras, and chairs.

Rule #8

Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered.

Rule #9

Once a murder takes place, a class trial will begin shortly thereafter. Attendance of students is required.

Rule #10

If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.

Rule #11

If the blackened is not exposed, they alone will graduate, and all remaining students will be executed.

Rule #12

The lending of tablets is strictly prohibited.

Rule #13

The guilty party may only kill a maximum of two people during any single "Killing Game."

Rule #14

Accomplices to a murder cannot be considered as blackened.

Rule #15

Violating any of the rules will immediately lead to punishment.

Rule #16

Additional school rules may be added by Monokuma if necessary.

_This is quite an extensive list of rules. It is not that complicated to understand. Monokuma is dead serious about this whole killing game. This is definitely planned out. Whoever did this had the time and resources to pull this off. I don't know how they did it but they managed to pull it off._

After understanding the rules carefully, he stood up from his bed and walked out of his room with his tablet in his hand. He stepped out of his room through his door. As he closed the door, the person whose room was beside his stepped out as well. It was Ayumu.

Ayumu has clearly changed clothes already. He was dry but had the same set of clothes he had previously worn. _I guess everyone only has multiple copies of their clothes. _Ayumu noticed him quickly and greeted him with energy.

"Hello mortal! It seems we have met again! Hahahahahaha!" Ayumu laughed. Obviously, it was forced. His voice was full of confidence but his face was telling a different story. The boy was obviously worried. _I guess everyone has different coping mechanisms. _

"Hello, Ayumu!" Nao greeted him back. He weakly smiled at Ayumu. It was clearly not from the heart but Ayumu took it wholeheartedly.

"Where are you going Nao?" Ayumu asked.

"I do not really know." Nao answered Ayumu. Ayumu's eyes quickly glinted with glee. He grinned and pointed his right thumb to his chest.

"I shall accompany you to the cafeteria. It is probably where people are staying in right now!" Nao was thankful for the information. Without Ayumu telling him that, he might have gotten lost for roaming around aimlessly.

Nao was about to walk thinking Ayumu will go as well when Ayumu continued talking. "This good deed of mine shall be sung in halls of Valhalla. My story shall be woven in the stars as a constellation. I truly have the blood of a God running in my veins! Hahahahaha!" It was totally unnecessary for Nao. _He is just taking me to the cafeteria. Is it really that big of a deal? _Nao could not help but feel curious about his past. With the way Ayumu was acting, he was sure something was up with his past.

Ayumu and Nao started to walk. Fearing they may stop at any moment, Nao asked Ayumu as they continued walking. "What are your parents like? Just curious. Your talent is great. They must love it."

Nao clearly saw a sudden change in Ayumu's composure. He became frazzled for a slight second and went back to his normal self. "In this world, I am alone by myself. I roam the Earth to help the weak and share knowledge with those lacking in intelligence. I am metaphorically the world's Atlas, the one carrying the world's fate on his shoulder." _He does not like talking about his parents. Something must have happened._

He did not want to push Ayumu too much but he was truly interested in his story. "Well, surely you cannot have been born without a mother, right? If your father is Zeus, who is your mother?" Nao twisted the question. He waited for a response in silence. Finally, he started sharing.

"My mother was the most beautiful in the land. She had skin as smooth as porcelain. Her hair was golden like the twinkling stars. She had a smile that made men come running towards her like a pack of dogs.

One day, when Zeus was looking from the sky, he saw my mother's beauty. Unable to resist her beauty, he quickly descended from the sky and changed his form into a handsome shepherd. Soon, my mother fell in love with him. They stayed together. However, the time came when my father had to leave her.

Unknown to him, my mother had a life growing in her. It was me. She raised me all alone into a fine demi-god. I made her happy. Our life was simple. However, Hera, Zeus' wife, found out about my existence. Quickly, she made a chariot made of steel charge towards her. Helpless, she was slain by the chariot.

Because of that, I vowed to become the voice of justice! No man shall ever experience the unjust wrath of the gods!"

_Even in his backstory, he is still in his son-of-Zeus persona. I guess this is his way of coping up. If the story was based on his real-life, does that mean his mom dead? Is his father a powerful figure? I have so many questions. _Nao had a glimpse of Ayumu's life. It was sad but Nao only shrugged it as "the tragedy of his life". He believes everyone experienced or will experience tragedy in different forms at least once in their lifetime.

"Good for you." Nao half-meant his reply.

The two continued walking until they reached the two doors to the cafeteria. It was wide and painted in blue. On the upper half of the two doors were circular windows that let people see who were already inside the cafeteria.

Ayumu opened the door to reveal the inside of the cafeteria. It was like any normal high school cafeteria. It was spacious with walls painted in white. On both sides were two potted plants that were full of life. Long, rectangular, stainless steel tables filled the room. Along with it were chairs with a coat of black paint. Each table had sixteen chairs surround it, seven from both sides and one on each end. Hanging on the wall was a digital clock showing the current time. According to it, it was already 6:00 pm. On its leftmost side were two restrooms. One was for males and the other one was for females. Another door was present on the rightmost side of the room. Nao guessed that it leads to the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, only a few people were in there. Nao only found Eri and Takashiro playing with each other. Sitting in a separate table were Jitsunori, Mako, Kayle, and Reyes. Manon was all alone in the corner. Samuru was sitting near the restrooms. He was looking intensely at the wall. _He must be deep in thoughts._

Near the entrance was Hana. She waved her hand to both of the boys and grinned. Ayumu quickly greeted her while Nao nodded at her. She stood up from where she was sitting and put her hands behind her back. She leaned to her left and started talking.

"Hello, my protector!" Hana playfully greeted Ayumu.

"Y-y-y-your protector!" Ayumu stammered after hearing Hana's cheeky greeting. Hana was obviously toying with him. She was clearly enjoying teasing Ayumu.

"Yes! You are everyone's protector, aren't you?" Hana added.

"Oh! Yes! You are right! I am your protector!" Ayumu's composure quickly came back to its normal. He smiled at her regaining his confident aura. Hana giggled a bit at the sight.

"You make it so easy!" Hana whispered. Ayumu was unable to hear it. However, Nao heard it clearly. _If Ayumu is not here, she would probably have a hard time with the others._

Nao left the two to continue their banter. Hana's laugh became less audible as he walked away from the two. He looked around to see who he can join. He still felt awkward with Manon while Samuru was too intense for him. He did not want to break Jitsunori's group's discussion. He was left with no other choice than to stay with Takashiro and Eri.

He interrupted the two as they were playing with their toys.

"May I sit with you?" Nao politely asked.

"Sure! The more, the merrier!" Takashiro replied.

Nao sat down beside Takashiro. Not on purpose, he stopped the two's playful talk with each other. He felt sorry for interrupting and tried to get them back to playing with each other.

"What were you doing?" Nao asked.

"Well, we were playing. She was using Honey while I was using Tori-chan." Takashiro then raised his right hand revealing Tori-chan.

"Hello there Nao! Care to join us?" Takashiro asked using Tori-chan.

Nao did not want to let the two down and played along with it.

"I don't know Tori-chan. I don't have a stuffed toy nor a puppet like you." Nao playfully answered. Takashiro's smile grew.

"You don't need any of the two to play with us…" Eri timidly butted in. Nao's heart melted from Eri's heart-warming comment.

"If I want to play with you two, what should I have?" Nao asked.

"The answer is so simple!" Takashiro giggled after answering. He looked at Eri waiting for her to answer it.

"Imagination…" Eri softly mumbled.

_Hmmm…Imagination?_ Nao looked around to see if he can use anything. He looked at the people to see if he can borrow something from them. Alas, there was nothing he could think of. He let out a soft sigh. He looked back at the two and let out a weak smile.

"I am sorry! I could not really think of anything to use to join your conversation. I am not as imaginative as you two." Nao apologized to the two before he let out a short laugh.

Eri stood up from where she was sitting and started roaming around while hugging Honey. Nao and Takashiro were left to sit and watch her go around. She stopped by the potted plant and picked up a stone. Nao was intrigued by this choice. _Why pick up a stone? _Eri continued walking and went into the girl's restroom. It took her quite a long time before she came out of the restroom. She quickly walked back to the two and sat down.

"Sorry! Uhmmm…I tried to make one for you. It is not much since I don't have the proper tools but uhmmm…here." She put out a rock with a tissue paper wrapped around it. It had cotton balls stuck on top of it. And somehow, it had two yellowish marks that looked like eyes.

"I-I-It is supposed to be a man but y-y-you might not understand it. I-I-I really tried. Sorry!" Eri continued talking. Her cheeks were flushed red.

Nao took it and looked at it carefully. _It is not much but to be able to come up with this must take huge creativity. If she had her tools, what more could she make? _Nao marveled at it and looked at Eri. "Thank you! I really appreciate it."

"No problem!" Eri let out the biggest smile he has seen from her today. It was not that big but it was definitely a sign she is slowly warming up to him.

"What should we call it?" Takashiro asked Nao.

"What should we call him Eri?" Nao looked at Eri.

Eri quickly became flustered after being put on the spot by Nao. "Uhmmm…Pebby? Sorry! I am so lame."

_What did I even expect her to answer? But, I think it is perfect. _"Pebby it is!" Nao declared.

After that, Nao tried to keep up with the two. He made a mistake or two but he surely had fun. Nao tried to continue interacting with them but he eventually ran out of energy. He told the two he could not keep up anymore. The two understood and Nao hid Pebby in his pocket.

He put his arms on the table and rested his head on it. Resting, he continued watching the two quickly come up with ideas on the spot. _I could never be as creative as them._ From where he was resting, he could see the clock and saw that twenty minutes already passed.

Dinner came to his mind. He quickly began worrying about their food. In his mind, no one might cook for everyone. People might be waiting for people who know how to cook to step up. He knows how to cook but he felt lazy. He looked around to see if anyone is bothered by this at all. It seemed to him that everyone was not really thinking about this. He mustered all of the initiatives he had in his body to start moving.

He stood up straight and looked at the two he was with. "I am sorry to interrupt you again but did anyone talk about dinner?" The two stopped. Takashiro and Eri looked at each other before Takashiro answered. "People already talked about it. Umeko said she will help. I think there were two people who joined her."

_ Umeko did seem like the helpful one out of the bunch. If it is not Jistunori, Mako, Reyes, or Kayle, who were the other two?_ Nao quickly wondered who the other two were. "Where is the kitchen?" Nao asked the two. The two pointed at the rightmost door. Nao's hunch earlier was proven to be true.

He stood up and left the two to continue enjoying their selves. Unlike the door of the cafeteria, the door of the kitchen had no coat of paint. It was just made of stainless steel. It had no windows as well. There was no way of knowing who was inside at the time. He slowly pushed it and saw who the people who were inside.

The first person he saw was Umeko humming as she was stirring a pot of stew. She was cooking something aromatic. Its smell wafted through the air. The smell passed through as Nao opened it. Nao clearly heard some of the people's comments about the aroma before closing the door shut.

He also saw Jirou in the corner cooking something. The portion he was cooking was small. He thought he might be cooking only just for himself. Nao tried to ignore him to avoid unwanted confrontation in the kitchen.

As soon as he shut the door, Umeko finally noticed him and greeted him. "Hey, Nao! Are you getting hungry? I am sorry. I had a hard time thinking of what everyone might want to eat. Do you think they will eat chickpea curry?"

Nao did not really care if people will hate it. He was definitely enticed by the smell. If anything, he would be shocked if people would hate it. The smell surely told him that it was going to be delicious.

"If people will hate it, I would be really surprised about it." Nao told her. Umeko smiled at him and went back to cooking.

He looked at the kitchen and saw state-of-the-art cooking equipment. There were sixteen useful stoves from what he saw. On the side were cabinets with clear glass doors each containing cooking tools and equipment such as blenders, scales, measuring cups, skillets, pans, tongs, and knives. Near it was four huge ovens. One of the ovens had something baking in it. At the opposite side of the kitchen were three ginormous refrigerators. Each had a label made of magnets stuck on it. The one on the right was labeled "Fruits and Vegetables". The fridge in the middle was labeled "Meat". Lastly, the one on the left had the label "Sweets". Near this fridge was a red door that had a sign made from simple cardboard hanging from the doorknob saying "Pantry". _This kitchen is huge. It must be interesting to cook here someday._

After observing, he went to Umeko to have a chat with her. _It would be awkward to just leave quickly. _"Can I help you with anything?" Nao was unsure if he really had to ask that question. _Why did you have to ask, Nao?_ To him, it seemed that Umeko had everything under control.

Umeko giggled a bit at Nao's question. Nao rubbed his head thinking he should not have asked. Umeko looked at him and gave him a small dish with a small amount of stew. "Well, you can tell me if it is already okay for your liking." Umeko motioned him to take it from her hands. Nao slowly took it and took a sip from it. _This is delicious. Wow._ Nao was sure it would have tasted great but was not expecting how great it truly was.

"It is delicious!" Nao exclaimed.

"Really? Well then, I will turn it off already." Umeko shut the stove off. She asked Nao to take a huge serving bowl from the cabinet. He did so and gave it quickly to Umeko. Then, Umeko transferred the stew into the bowl.

"We are all done with this. The only thing left is for the apple pie to finish baking." Suddenly, a timer went off. Umeko quickly went to the oven and took a peek to see if it was already finished. Satisfied with it, she opened the oven, wore white potholders, and took out the pie. It was golden and flaky. It looked appetizing.

"Roxanne, the pie is done!" Umeko shouted.

"Okay!" Asuka shouted back. Her voice came from inside the pantry. She quickly went out of it and sighed. "I could not find any substitute for honey that would pair perfectly with the pie. What a bummer!"

_Asuka? Asuka was the other person? _Nao was shocked at Asuka being in there. He did not think Asuka was into cooking.

"Oh, Nao! Did not see you there. You looked like you are shocked to see me here. Did you even read my fucking profile? It is literally indicated there that I like to cook." Nao quickly took out his tablet to see if she was saying the truth. To his shock, it was true.

"I am sorry if I offended you." Nao quickly apologized.

"Nah! Just forget about it. It is just some shallow shit. It is nothing to be bothered about." Asuka shrugged it off. She went to the cabinets and took out some bowls and utensils. She put it on a serving cart along with the apple pie and the bowl of curry.

Before they went out to serve it, Umeko looked at Jirou. "Are you sure you do not want to eat dinner with us? You saw us cook it. We did not do anything funny to it." Umeko was concerned about Jirou.

"I just need to be safe. I do not want to die over a stupid thing like food poisoning." After that, Jirou went back to cooking his dinner. Umeko shook her head out of disappointment. Nao saw Asuka roll her eyes after Jirou's statement.

Asuka hugged Umeko. "He will come to his fucking senses that we can be trusted." After whispering to Umeko, Asuka signaled Nao to open the door and pushed the serving cart out to the cafeteria. Umeko quickly followed.

_I guess Asuka is not annoying all the time._

Nao looked back at Jirou. He saw Jirou looked at the two girls exit the room. After noticing he was caught, Jirou went back to cooking his own food. Nao quickly followed the two girls out of the room.

Everyone finally sat in one table where Eri and Takashiro were staying. Nao took a seat between Takashiro and Jitsunori. Asuka passed around the utensils and plate while Umeko put the bowl of curry in the middle of the table with a serving spoon. Beside it was the pie. After serving, Umeko and Asuka finally sat down. Umeko sat in front of Nao. She smiled at him before she started talking.

"That is all we can do for now. I hope everyone will find it delicious! Let's eat!" Umeko cheerily told everyone.

Each one took huge portions of the curry and a slice of pie. Everyone started eating. A rush of compliments came rushing towards Asuka and Umeko. "This is so good!" Takashiro mumbled while he still had food in his mouth. "Don't talk while your mouth is full. You might choke." Umeko said.

"Takashiro is right! The food is amazing! It really is great to be able to eat something like this in our situation." Reyes added.

"Well, Roxanne and I worked hard on cooking it." Umeko replied back. She looked at Asuka who was completely unbothered by the compliments and was busy chowing down on the curry.

"I could not believe Roxanne helped you make this. What did she do, not touch anything?" Hana teasingly commented.

Asuka definitely did not want her comment to slide by. She stopped eating to comment on Hana. "At least I know how to cook, bitch! Unlike you who only fucking knows how to tease and flirt with Ayumu."

"Oooooh!" A lot of them said in unison. Asuka was the first one to fire back at Hana's teases. "You got me this time!" Hana admitted her lost to Asuka. She was calm about it unlike Ayumu, who was obviously flustered by Asuka's comment.

"F-F-Flirt? Hana?" Ayumu was bright red from the thought.

Hana was sitting beside Ayumu. She quickly slapped him at the back of his head.

"Dummy! It was a joke." Hana got laughs from people because of what she did. Ayumu scratches the back of his head where Hana hit with her hand. "That hurt!" Hana just shrugged it off.

"This is quite a delicious meal, Roxanne and Umeko!" Kayle added. Asuka did not reply back but simply nodded to it. _At least they are being civil._ They continued eating while talking to each other.

Everyone acted like everything was normal. All of them were laughing and trying to add to their playful banters. Even Samuru added a joke or two in their spontaneous conversations. Manon, who Nao thought as socially awkward, was able to keep up with the energy of the likes of Mako and Asuka. They knew it was not normal but they were trying to make it normal enough to keep the thought of killing someone distant from them.

The cafeteria was filled with boisterous laughs. It was like there was no end to it. However, someone opened the door. Everyone stopped and looked at it. The person slowly pushed one of the doors making a loud creaking sound. She peeked out of the door looking at the group. It was Rei.

Everyone was quiet. They were waiting for Rei to make a move before doing anything else. She stepped into the room revealing she had a book tightly wrapped in her arms. It was a large leather-bound notebook. It was brown and had pages sticking out emphasizing it was already worn out. _Where did she get that? _

Rei finally spoke up after a minute of awkward silence. "Uhmmm...Where can I…get food?"

Umeko stood up from her seat and went to Rei. She smiled at her and tried to touch her but Rei only flinched. "You can eat with us!" Umeko pointed at everyone. Hana waved her hand and gave her a fake grin.

Rei gulped and looked at Umeko. "Can I…really eat with…all of you?" Rei asked.

"Of course! Don't be silly!" Reyes shouted.

"Come on! You can sit beside me!" Kayle invited her.

Umeko motioned Rei to sit down beside Kayle. Rei followed her and awkwardly sat down. She put down her notebook on the table. It made a loud thud proving how awkward it truly was. Nobody dared to speak up again. Some tried to speak like Jitsunori and Kayle but they could not manage to say a single comment to break the silence.

Umeko could not let this go and Nao knew this. He is definitely uncomfortable with the silence. He just blurted out what came into his mind first.

"Are you okay with eating vegan food?" Nao asked.

After asking, people started mumbling about it. People did not understand why Nao asked that certain question. Nao looked at Umeko who giggled a bit. She looked at him and mouthed, "I guess you noticed." Nao did not respond to it and continued looking at Rei.

Some were definitely curious why Nao asked that. Mako could not keep his mouth shut and asked Nao, "What do you mean by that?"

_Was I really the only one who noticed the menu?_

"These are all vegan." Nao pointed out at the two food served to them.

"Is that true?" Hana asked Asuka.

"Umeko insisted to cook something vegan. I just went with it since it was already getting late and people would start starving." Asuka calmly answered.

_It was Umeko's idea to go with this then. _

"You are vegan, aren't you?" Nao directed his question to Umeko.

Umeko grinned and put her right hand on her nape. "You got me there! I am sorry! I really wanted to cook something everyone will enjoy but it was getting late. I had no time to cook to accommodate everyone's needs. Sorry for deceiving all of you and making Roxanne go with it!"

"You do not need to say sorry! The meal the two of you cooked was amazing!" Jitsunori said.

"Phew! Thank you! Next time, I will cook something with meat to make it up to you guys!" Umeko apologized.

"I mean, if all vegan meals taste like this, I have no problem eating them every day!" Hana stated before she took a bite of her slice of pie.

"Going back to you Rei, are you okay eating vegan food?" Nao asked.

"I am…actually vegan." Rei mumbled.

Umeko stood up and shouted, "Yeah! I am not the only one!" She caught Rei off-guard and hugged her from the behind. "If you want to eat something vegan, just tell me!" After hugging her, Umeko went back to her spot and gave her a serving of the curry and a slice of pie.

_Good. The awkwardness is gone._

Rei was eating her food when Manon suddenly asked Nao, "How did you know everything was vegan?"

"I know how to cook chickpea curry and it does not take that long to cook it unless it is vegan. For the pie, Roxanne said something earlier that caught my attention."

* * *

_"Okay!" Asuka shouted back. Her voice came from inside the pantry. She quickly went out of it and sighed. "I could not find any substitute for honey that would pair perfectly with the pie. What a bummer!"_

* * *

"Only vegans would look for a substitute for honey. Plus, did nobody think the apple pie looked different from a normal apple pie?" Nao briefly stated his reasoning.

"I guess no one really questioned anything and accepted everything." Manon stated.

"I do not really ask questions in my mind intentionally. I just make guesses from my observations without any care if I am a hundred percent sure about it." Nao added.

"How reckless! You are definitely too smart for a normal N.E.E.T. Maybe that is the reason why Hope's Peak Academy sought you. However, it does not change the fact that you are a good-for-nothing bummer." Jirou came out of the kitchen and quickly gave his thought on Nao.

"Nobody is asking for your fucking opinion!" Asuka shouted.

"Kayle, Rei, and Ayumu, I want to talk to the three of you tomorrow inside classroom 1-A." Jirou instructed the three.

"Why?" Kayle asked.

"I need your help with something."

"With what?" Reyes asked.

"Something that does not concern you, princess." Jirou replied.

"No need to be rude! I was just asking." Reyes retorted.

"Next time, shut up when I am not talking to you. I am expecting you three to be there around 9:00 am." Jirou quickly exited after giving them time. Everyone's eyes followed him. A lot of them were obviously ticked by Jirou's delivery.

_What an asshole!_

"What was his problem? All I did was ask. Did I do something wrong?" Reyes went on complaining.

"Let's not think about it for now. We should not let him ruin our mood." Kayle stopped Reyes from continuing her rant.

"Why do you think…he wants to meet with…us?" Rei asked.

"I don't know but I will come. I will try to talk to him to make him more socially active with us." Kayle answered.

Asuka snickered at Kayle's comment. "You think you can do that?" _Here we go again. _

"Persuading someone with words is a part of what I do. I admit that there have been times that took me a long time to persuade people but I always give my best and, surely enough, reap the product of my hard work." Kayle calmly answered to avoid conflicts. Nao could not help but try to stop rolling his eyes on Kayle's comment.

_She makes people side with her. She is manipulative. Maybe she does not do it intentionally but it kind of bugs me. I can see why Asuka is annoyed by her. But, I should not judge her yet. I have only been with her for a few hours. I hope my impression of hers is wrong._

"Good luck with that!" Asuka shouted.

"Thank you!" Kayle smiled.

After a few more minutes have passed. Nao started to read again the rules. He was stuck on rule #2. _What areas are off-limits during nighttime? What are the other areas I should explore? Some of them must have thought of this as well._

"Do anyone know what areas the second rule is talking about?" Nao asked the group.

"We have no clue as well. The four of us have been discussing earlier the rules. Monokuma has not clarified it to anybody." Jitsunori answered.

Nao stopped and wondered what to do next. _Are they waiting for Monokuma to say something about this? _He quickly looked at the corners of the room. Quickly, he found what he was looking for, a camera. The camera was white shaped into a semi-sphere. In its center was a red blinking light visible to people looking at it. He stood up and walked towards it. When he was nearly below it, he started calling for Monokuma.

"Monokuma, we have a question. Can you come out?" Nao shouted. He caught everyone's attention.

"What are you doing? Why are you calling him?" Manon asked.

"We need him to answer our questions." Nao quickly shrugged Manon off.

"How can we trust it? Monokuma is a foul beast that might choose to deceive you." Samuru added. Nao did not care for anyone's opinion. He did not like getting everyone's attention but he believed that he needed to call Monokuma. _Why are they waiting for Monokuma? Why not just ask him to come out? _

"We have no other choice but to take his word for it." Nao said to calm everyone down. Not for long, Monokuma popped out of nowhere beside Rei. He sat on Rei's notebook and looked at Rei. "Hello, Rei! Enjoying your meal?" Monokuma teased Rei making her stop eating.

Reyes and Samuru quickly stood up and was on-guard for anything Monokuma might do. "Please…do not sit on my…notebook." Rei begged as she shook in fear.

"No problem, twerp!" Monokuma stood up on the table. Rei stopped shaking in fear and quickly took her notebook and hugged it tightly. After that, Nao turned around to Monokuma's direction. Monokuma pointed at Nao with its left paw.

"What do you want?" Monokuma quickly asked.

"What areas are we not allowed to enter during nighttime?" Nao asked.

"The pantry and the storage room above the gymnasium."

"We have a storage room above the gymnasium?" Kayle quickly asked.

"Did any of you explore the whole floor yet?" Monokuma asked.

Everyone looked at each other trying to see who had explored the accessible area. To everyone's surprise, nobody had the initiative to explore. Monokuma let out a huge sigh after seeing the faces of the ultimates. He crossed his arms and shook his head.

"You lazy bums! Explore the fucking area! You might find some interesting things. You never know what you might stumble upon. It might be your possible murder weapon. Hihihihihihi!" Monokuma commented. It gave shudders to most of the people. Nao was not bothered by it. He got used to Monokuma's word choices.

"Thank you. You can go now!" Nao shooed Monokuma.

"Ouch! Why don't you want me to stay?" Monokuma clasped his hands and attempted to make puppy eyes to get pity. Nobody fell for it. Instead, he received numerous eye rolls from Asuka, Jitsunori, Manon, and Nao.

"Just go away!" Reyes shouted.

"Okay then! Toodles!" After that, Monokuma vanished into thin air. The ultimates were left silent thinking about what to do next. Jitsunori was the first to break the silence.

"I think we should explore the building." Jitsunori said.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Asuka commented.

"Who wants to explore the building? Please raise your right hand please." Jitsunori took the lead. He looked around to see who did not want to join the exploration. They were Rei, Eri, and Takashiro.

"I…do not want to because…it is getting too late. Soon…it would not be…safe." Rei gave an explanation for her choice.

"Same with her! Plus, I want to continue talking with Eri!" Takashiro quickly followed.

"M-m-me too." Eri timidly agreed with Takashiro.

"Okay! How should we do this?" Jitsunori asked.

"My suggestion is to split up by groups and convene here after the exploration to discuss our findings." Kayle answered.

Jitsunori looked at everyone to see if anyone has a violent reaction. Obviously, Asuka did not really care for Kayle's suggestion but she shut up and grunted on her own. "If no one has any more suggestion, I think we should do Kayle's suggestion." Jitsunori said.

Immediately, people grouped together. Jitsunori and Mako paired up quickly. Reyes and Kayle decided to explore together as well. Surprisingly, Asuka asked Samuru if she could join him. Samuru let her join him. Of course, Hana chose Ayumu to be with her for laughs. The only one left without any group was Umeko and Manon. Nao decided to ask Umeko if she wanted to join him for the search.

"Hi! Is it okay if I join you?" Nao asked Umeko. Surely enough, Umeko agreed and did not see any problem with it. After that, Nao brought up to Umeko that Manon has not yet grouped herself with anyone.

"Let's ask her to join us!" Umeko said.

Umeko took Nao's right hand and dragged him with her to Manon. Nao was caught off-guard by Umeko and almost tripped on his own foot. _She is energetic. _Umeko stopped dragging him when they were already in front of Manon.

"Hello! Would you like to join us?" Umeko smiled as she asked Manon to join.

"Please do not take this in the wrong way but I do not want to. I just want to be left alone for now." Manon answered.

_I was kind of expecting that._

"Oh, okay! But why?" Umeko insisted Manon to answer. It was obvious Manon did not want to share her reason. Nao, who was behind Umeko, put his left hand on Umeko's right shoulder. Umeko looked at Nao. Nao immediately slowly shook his head. She understood and backed off.

"I am sorry! I did not mean to be intrusive!" Umeko and Nao left Manon alone and went about with their search. They said their goodbyes to Eri and Takashiro and exited the room. _Where shall we go first? _

As soon as they went out of the cafeteria, they were immediately greeted by three hallways leading to different directions. They knew the hallway to their left would lead to the gymnasium and the one in front of them would eventually lead to their quarters and would pass by various rooms. The only hallway they do not really have any knowledge off was the one on their right.

"Let's start with where we have not really gone to." Umeko suggested.

"Okay." Nao agreed. The two went off towards the direction of the hallway on their right. As they walked, they immediately noticed patterns on the wall. It was not printed or like a design. They were rectangular marks. It looked like something was posted on that space for a long time and was removed recently.

_It could be posters that were pasted on the wall. Even if those were just posters, why remove it?_

"The walls look weird." Umeko commented.

"I think posters were pasted on the spaces where there are rectangular marks." Nao added.

"But why remove it if they were just posters?" Umeko asked.

"I don't know. Let's just continue walking." Nao answered.

The two continued their search. After a few more seconds, they reached the end of the hallway. In front of them was a wooden door. It looked new and fresh out of the box. Nao grabbed the doorknob and turned it only to find out the door was locked. He tried to force it to open but it would not budge.

_A locked door? Why does this have to be locked?_

"It would not open." Nao pointed out.

"That sucks. If it will not open, let's move on." Umeko said. Nao agreed with what Umeko said and went back to where they came from. However, Nao could not get rid of the feeling that behind the door, something bad was waiting to happen.

They were back in front of the cafeteria discussing where to go next. Nao suggested going to the gymnasium next. Umeko agreed and went to the gymnasium.

The walk was not that long but it felt awkward. Nao was so focused on the task that he kind of forgotten Umeko was with him. Umeko was waiting for Nao to bring up any topic to talk about but he would not talk.

Finally, they arrived at the door that would lead to the hallway leading to the gymnasium. Nao opened it and let Umeko walk in first. "What a gentleman!" Umeko joked around. Nao entered and saw the same lockers on the side.

"We should check each locker if they contain anything." Nao suggested. The two quickly went on with their task. Nao checked the lockers on the left while Umeko took a look at the lockers on the right. Unsurprisingly, all the lockers were empty.

"I really thought at least one of the lockers would contain something." Umeko said.

"I agree. But, there is something weirder than that about these lockers." Nao added. Umeko did not expect Nao to say something like that.

"I did not really find anything weird about it. It was clean and shiny. There was not a single trace of dust." Umeko commented on Nao's statement.

"Precisely! From what we have seen in the hallway earlier and here, it looked like someone has been maintaining the cleanliness of the building before we got here. There is no janitor with us. Who have been cleaning this building and where are they now?" Nao explained his statement.

Because of Nao's statement, Umeko stopped and thought about it. "Am I making some sense?" Nao asked Umeko.

"You have a point. Now that you mentioned it, the kitchen was spotless and every utensil looked as if they were taken care of daily before we got here." Umeko agreed with Nao's statement. It was weird the building is clean even though there was no personnel within the school premises.

"Anyway, let's continue with our search." Nao pointed at the door beside the door of the gymnasium. He went to it and Umeko followed him.

"This is probably the door to the storage room above the gymnasium." Nao opened it to reveal stairs going up.

The two went upstairs to find themselves in a huge storage room. The room had lights but it was not enough to make the whole room well-lit. Beside the walls were cabinets filled with objects. Some of the objects available in the storage room were batteries, remotes, ropes, copper wires, mirrors, and spears. The objects ranged from everyday tools to weapons. Below the cabinets were pieces of wood. In the middle of the room was a huge space.

The two searched the storage room for anything suspicious. Nao stood exactly in the middle of the room when he stopped searching for anything. Umeko grabbed a remote and some batteries. She put the batteries inside the remote. Immediately, a light blinked from the remote indicating it was ready to work.

Umeko showed the remote to Nao from a distance and turned her back on him after doing so. Nao shrugged it off. He did not really what the remote's importance was. On the remote were buttons with symbols on it. The biggest button was a green one. Umeko pressed it to see what will happen.

Out of nowhere, the floor where Nao was standing opened. Nao was luckily able to hang on to the floor of the storage room. He looked below him to see it was the gymnasium floor that was below him. He knew that if he let go, he would die.

While this was happening, Umeko was clueless about what happened. She was too focused on the remote. Finally, Nao shouted for help. "Umeko, help!" Umeko turned around to see Nao hanging for his life. Nao's fingers were slowly slipping. Before he could let go of the edge of the floor, Umeko quickly helped Nao. She grabbed Nao's hand and pulled him to the floor with all her might. On the other hand, Nao knew Umeko did not have the strength to do it alone. Because of this, he tried to push himself up on the floor.

After a few attempts, Nao was finally safe. Because of the accident, he was exhausted. He lied down on the floor looking straight at the ceiling of the room. He put his hands behind his back for his head to rest on. Beside him was a shaken Umeko.

"I am so sorry! I did not mean to! You could have died because of me!" She put her hands on Nao's chest and rested her head on it. Suddenly, she started crying. She gripped on his shirt and sobbed.

"I-I-I'm so sorry! I sh-sh-should have been more careful. Th-th-this was all my fault. Someone could have died! Why am I so…stupid?" Umeko continued crying. Nao did not know what to do. He sat up straight making Umeko do the same thing. She was obviously frazzled by what happened. Tears were still flowing down her cheeks. She could not look at Nao and covered her face with her hands. Nao pulled her towards him and put her head on his right shoulder.

_What should I say?_

"There, there" _What am I saying?_

"I am still alive, right?" Nao asked.

Umeko wiped her tears and looked at him. "But I almost killed you."

"Yes. But, you did help me get to safety. Cheer up."

Umeko was only blankly looking at Nao.

"We still have lots of rooms to search. Do you want to go back to your room to rest up? I can take you there if you need help." Nao said.

Umeko nodded and wiped her tears with her fabric. "No, I will suck it up!" She took deep breaths to calm down.

The two stood up from where they were sitting. Nao grabbed the remote and asked Umeko which button she pressed. She pointed at the green one. Nao pressed it and the floor shut closed. "I am guessing this room is for the whole gymnasium. We should take this with us." Umeko agreed.

Nao noticed another staircase at the other end of the room. He told Umeko they should check it out. Still bothered by her actions, she blankly agreed. They went down the stairs to see a room filled with microphones, speakers, computers, cameras, and out equipment. There were mannequins as well. Other than those, the room was spacious. There were two exits. Nao and Umeko chose the one nearest to them. They took a step out to find out they were previously at the back of the stage. They walked on to the stage.

Nao was quietly assessing the stage while Umeko was silently observing him. She was still teary-eyed. It was obvious with her demeanor she was drained of energy.

Suddenly, the door of the gymnasium opened. Samuru and Asuka entered. The two waved at Nao and Umeko while Nao nodded at them. Umeko was still shaken and forced herself to greet them but it was obvious she was not okay. The noticed this and quickly went to Umeko.

"Are you okay?" Asuka asked.

"I'm fine." Umeko unconvincingly answered.

"Did Nao do something to you?" Asuka looked at Nao.

Nao was shocked with what Asuka asked. But then again, Umeko's were red from crying and was a bit shaky.

"Hey, did you do something to Umeko?" Asuka shouted at Nao.

"Tell us the truth!" Samuru added.

Umeko put her hand on Asuka's shoulder. "Roxanne, he did not do anything to me." Umeko explained to them what happened. Quickly, the two checked Nao if he was okay. Nao told the two he was alright.

"You two should take some rest." Samuru suggested.

"I am fine. I don't know if Umeko is." Nao turned to Umeko.

"I am fine! Do not worry about me! I will pull my own weight for the group" Umeko smiled.

After that, Nao advised the two to check out the storage room. The two followed Nao's advice and left the two alone. Nao and Umeko exited the gymnasium and continued walking until they find a room they have not been in.

While they were walking, Umeko asked, "How can you be so calm after everything?"

"I don't know." Nao honestly felt that way. Umeko was not contented with this answer.

"Why did you comfort me even though it was my fault?" Umeko asked again.

"Because you needed someone to comfort you." Nao answered.

Before Umeko could ask another question, they stopped in front of a door. The door was white with translucent glass on it resembling a windowpane. Nao opened it. The room was a clinic.

The two checked it out. The room was painted in white. It had two cabinets. One was filled with all sorts of medicines. The other one was filled with poisonous chemicals. Near the entrance was a desk with pens and papers. It had a first aid kit on it. There was a bed with a white blanket and white pillows. Beside the bed were a stool and a bedside table. In front of the bed was a dental engine.

Nao took note of the abundance of poison in the room. It was weird to see the amount of poison present in a clinic. _Monokuma is displaying everything we can use to kill. _Umeko took a peek below the bed. Underneath was a briefcase. Umeko pulled it out.

"Hey! I found something weird." Umeko gave the case to Nao. Nao put it on the desk and opened it. Inside were medical tools scissors, surgical blades, scalpels, and knives. The tools were not rusted and looked brand new. Nao took out a scalpel and ran it across a piece of paper. It cleanly cut it indicating how sharp it was. "These tools are sharp and new."

"People should be careful with these." Umeko pointed out.

Nao agreed. The desk had a cabinet. He opened it. Luckily it was empty. Nao put the briefcase inside to hide it. "Hopefully, no one will see this for now."

The next room they went to were the restrooms. Because of the rules, they had to split up. Nao went inside the men's restroom while Umeko went inside the women's restroom. Nao immediately saw four sinks in front of a large mirror. There were five stalls and three urinals. The restroom had blue tiles on the floor and on the walls. Near the sink was a trash bin. After seeing that there was nothing important, he went out of the room. What was I expecting? It was just a restroom.

He met with Umeko and asked her to tell him about the restroom of the women. According to Umeko, it was similar to the men's restroom. However, instead of having three urinals, women have three more stalls.

After that, they went to the room next to it. The door had a hanging sign saying "Faculty Room". The two entered and saw empty office cubicles. A cubicle was gray with a partition with a height of five to six feet. There were computers and printers in each cubicle. There were also gray, mundane office chairs and a bin under each desk.

Nao and Umeko quickly turned on every computer to see if the computers had any files. With no luck, the two gave up on the search for hidden files.

"Why have computers with no files?" Umeko shouted. Nao giggled a bit to Umeko's comment. The two sat down first since their exhaustion was finally catching up to them.

"Are you still feeling up for the task?" Nao asked Umeko.

"Never been better." After saying that, Umeko's eyes were slowly closing. Nao shook her to wake her up. She jolted to sit up straight. She patted her cheeks to wake herself up.

Nao stood up. "Let's continue before we fall asleep." Umeko stood up as well and followed Nao.

They exited the room and noticed they were near the supposed entrance of the school. It was bolted up by metal sheets and chains. It was obvious that it would not be easy to open it up. Near the entrance was a front desk. The two looked for anything worth noting about.

The desk had plenty of drawers but none had anything in it. On top of the desk was a monitor and a video recorder. The two attempted to open it but failed. They discovered that the wires were cut.

_Why cut it? What did the screen show?_

After failing to open it after a few attempts, they finally gave up on it. The attention of the two was shifted to the door next to the front desk. Umeko tried to open it but it would not budge. Nao noticed there was a keypad beside the door. It had the number zero to nine. Carefully analyzing the problem, Nao deduced that to open the door, they needed to input a four-digit passcode.

"I do not think we will be able to open this door any time soon. It requires us to know a passcode." Nao told Umeko. After hearing Nao, Umeko stopped trying.

"What could this be hiding?" Umeko asked.

"Who knows?" Nao answered.

The two went next to a classroom labeled as "1-A". It was the room Jirou mentioned earlier. It had two sliding doors. One lead to the front of the classroom while the other lead to the back of the classroom. The walls were painted in mint green. In front of the classroom was a whiteboard with whiteboard markers and erasers. There were twenty chairs and desks arranged into five columns with four chairs and desks each. Near the windows were empty shelves.

To Nao, nothing struck him out of the ordinary. It was just like any normal school.

"Let's go to the next classroom to see if anything is different." Nao told Umeko. The two went to the next classroom which was labeled "1-B". They entered the room. There was nothing different about the room. It was the same as 1-A.

However, this was not surprised Nao. It was the presence of Norio. Norio was sleeping on one of the desks while he was sitting on a chair. The two went to Norio to check up on him if he was okay. Umeko gently shook Norio to wake him up.

Norio grunted. "Ughhh…What?"

"Sorry to bother you but we think you should sleep in your room if you are already feeling drowsy." Umeko told Norio in a calm tone.

Norio yawned and stretched his arms. He rubbed his face to make himself wake up. He took out his tablet and looked at the time. "8:30 pm huh? I just wanted to take a nap for twenty minutes but instead, I ended up sleeping for one hour."

Norio stood up and exited the room. Umeko followed Norio to see if he was okay. Nao had no other choice but to follow the two. Norio was slowly walking towards the quarters. Umeko tapped his shoulder and asked if what he was doing before he fell asleep.

"I was exploring." Norio briefly answered.

"We are also exploring right now!" Umeko added.

"Really? If that is the case, I advise you to check the seventeenth room in our quarters. It was quite interesting." Norio continued walking. Nao and Umeko looked at each other and knew to go there as well.

The three continued walking together since the rooms they are going to is in the same direction. Norio entered his room and left the two. The two were in front of the seventeenth room. Nao slowly opened the room and saw washing machines, dryers, irons, and ironing boards. There were laundry baskets near the entrance. In front of the machines was a table with two benches on each side of it.

"What is interesting about this?" Umeko asked.

"The size of the room is the same size as ours." Nao answered.

_This room must have been used as a bedroom as well. But why was this room turned into a laundry room? It does not make any sense. _Thinking it was once a bedroom like theirs, Nao went to where it was supposed to be a bathroom. He opened the door and was greeted by a wall of bricks.

"Why?" Umeko asked.

The two were confused about the purpose of the wall. The two continued searching the room. Nothing odd stuck to them. The two went out of the room and went back to the cafeteria.

The two walked in to see they were the last one to finish exploring. Eri and Takashiro who stayed there waved at them. Everyone who ate dinner earlier was there, unsurprisingly, except for Rei. Reyes quickly stood up and greeted them.

"Hello! We heard from Roxanne and Samuru about what happened. Are you two alright?" Reyes asked.

"We are fine. Nothing to worry about." Umeko tried to reassure the group. Reyes told the two to sit down. It was time to discuss what they have found.

Everyone shared their findings. Nao was surprised that most did not detect the multiple dangerous objects scattered in the building. It was only Jitsunori and Kayle who were able to say something about it.

"There are objects scattered in the building that can be used as murder weapons. Did anybody find the briefcase in the clinic?" Kayle asked the group. Nao and Umeko raised their hands.

"We tested out the blades on the papers in the clinic. They were very sharp. Monokuma is really giving us everything we can use to do his biddings." Umeko added.

"I think we should keep an eye out on these objects." Jitsunori suggested.

"But how?" Reyes asked.

"What if we do a daily inventory? We check them first thing in the morning and before nighttime." Jitsunori suggested.

"How shall we do that?" Samuru asked.

"Let's make a schedule of people checking them." Kayle answered.

"We need to do it by pair so that we can check each other." Jitsunori added.

"Let's do it by how we are paired right now and include Eri and Takashiro." Mako suggested.

The two agreed about the plan. However, Nao noticed not everyone was paired up with anyone. "What about Manon?" Nao asked. Everyone looked at Manon who was silent about it. Everyone forgot about Manon.

"Would you like to pair up with anyone?" Kayle asked.

"I am okay with anyone." Manon answered.

"Well, if that is the case, let's pair you up with Umeko." Kayle said.

"I am fine with that." Umeko smiled at Manon.

"I guess everything is settled." Jitsunori said.

After saying that, Monokuma's voice was heard through the audio system." It is nighttime! Get to sleep! Or not. Your choice!" After that, the group heard something clinking in the kitchen. The group decided to check it out. They went inside the kitchen and saw bars were descending blocking the entryway of the pantry.

"This is how it becomes off-limits." Nao mumbled. After that, most of them went back to their quarters. Manon stayed in the cafeteria with Asuka and Samuru. The others went back to their quarters to go to sleep.

Before Nao entered his room, Umeko waved her hand. "Good night!" Umeko told him.

"You too!" Nao said before entering his room. Nao prepared to go to sleep. He brushed his teeth and conveniently found a pile of folded fit white sleeveless undershirt and white pajama pants in one of the drawers in the bathroom. He changed and lied down on his bed. _It has been only a few hours and I feel like I have been here for days. _Unknowingly, he fell asleep while he was deep in thoughts.

* * *

**There you have it! I hope you liked the story. Thank you for taking the time to read this!**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, do not be shy and join my discord server for this story. The link is my profile. If you are having a problem with it, PM me.**

**I want to know your thoughts on this chapter and what could happen in the upcoming chapters. What do you think about the characters so far? What do you think about the title? Write it in the reviews. I want to see what all of your thoughts are.**

**Anyway, until next time! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	10. Who Killed The Disco Star? 2

**Hello everyone! This is the second part of the first chapter! I am quite excited to share this to all of you! Hahahahahaha!**

**I just wanted to say thank you to those who have helped me so far! Without you, I do not think I will be motivated to create chapters. **

**Anyway, without further ado, here is part 2!**

* * *

The building was serenely existing in a cold early morning. Most of its inhabitants were in deep slumber. Each student drifted into their own dreams. Some were murmuring happily in their dreams while others were disturbingly crying. There were people hugging a pillow while some unconsciously kicked every pillow off their bed. A few were already awake buzzing to accomplish their goals for the day. None minded the uncomfortable silence the atmosphere brought. One even mumbled, "You are used to this. Being alone is not new to you…but it would be nice to have someone."

Deep in his sleep was Nao. He was eerily too comfortable about sleeping in his current situation. Stress could not be read from his face. He was just lying on the bed given to him and enjoying it as much as he can.

Earlier that night, he fell asleep without even trying. It was natural for him to fall asleep on a bed. It was what he did on a daily basis before he was trapped in an unknown place with strangers of different backgrounds and talents. Now, he was sleeping as if nothing could bother him. He was at peace. The only thing that would ruin it was a wake-up call.

"Wake up! Wake up! Or not! Anyway, the time is six o'clock! What a great day to kill somebody! Am I right?" Monokuma shouted through the audio system.

On his bed, Nao was disturbed by the unwanted announcement. It was irritating and unnecessary. He covered his head with a pillow and attempted to go back to school. The more he tried, the shallower his sleep became. Slowly, he could not go back to sleep anymore. However, he stayed in bed as if he was in denial that he was already awake.

He uncovered his face and let the light from his lamp hit his eyes which was the only source of light turned on in his room. Surely enough, he opened his eyes and quickly rolled it from annoyance. _If every morning is going to be like this, I am going to fucking hurt Monokuma someday! That was so unnecessary! _He stared up at the ceiling unwilling to move from his position. Even though he was already awake, the comfort of the bed made him not move. It was not the quality of bed he was used to but it was still a bed; good enough to lie on and do nothing.

He quickly thought of a morning before he found himself trapped in this building. It was as cold as today. His house was as quiet as the building. Just like how he is now, he was unwilling to move. He refused to. There was nothing motivating him that time to get up on his bed and to start getting ready for school. He lied on his bed and thought, "Why bother? Do I really want to go to school? Is waking up this early really worth all of this trouble?"

Now lying on his current bed, he could not think of a reason to get up nor to stay on his bed. _What should I do? _He grabbed his tablet and looked at the time. It was 6:07 am. It was early. However, the moment Nao saw it, something came into his mind immediately. _It would be interesting to see how the building is this early. I will be able to see what I would expect from this group of people this early._

His curiosity won over his apathy and laziness. He got up from his bed and went straight to his bathroom. He took his time to take a bath, brush his teeth, style his hair, and change into his daily clothes. Nao is a lazy person in every aspect of his life except when it comes to his hygiene. He was cleaned up and ready to face anyone today. He took his tablet from his bedside table and went out of his room.

He opened his door and somewhat expected to see someone coming out of their room since he heard a door open from the outside before opening his. To his bafflement, no one was there. He looked around and saw nobody. _I know someone opened their door. If that person is not outside with me right now, it means that person went into their room. But, if that is the case, where did they come from? _

He quickly went to the laundry room to see if someone was in there. Nobody was. _Someone was definitely out but went back into their room. That or I am hearing a ghost. I think the latter is highly unreasonable. Who was it? I better be on the lookout for strange people. But then again, almost half of the people I am stuck with are weird._

He went out of the laundry room and continued on with his day. He was a bit wary for strange things in the building especially hearing what he heard earlier. He might spot something he missed out when he was exploring the available floor with Umeko.

He continued his walk when he saw a light beneath the doors of room 1-A peeking out of it. It was visible from afar. Nao quickly noticed this and went to it immediately. He put his ear on the door to try hearing what was happening inside. There was nothing much. All he could hear were footsteps and what sounded like a marker scribbling on a board.

He reached his right hand on the sliding door handle and slowly opened it. To his surprise, the source of the footsteps and scribbling was Jirou. He was writing something on the board. He was copying from a notebook he was holding with his left hand.

Jirou stopped and looked at Nao. "Oh, it was just you." Jirou shrugged off Nao's existence and continued writing on the board. Nao immediately understood most of what Jirou had written. They were equations. He saw Cartesian planes with rational functions and polynomial functions. On one side of the board were equations for conic sections. Almost half of the board was filled by, what he presumed, Jirou's solution for fifteen unknown values given with fifteen formulas.

Nao took a seat and looked at how Jirou finished writing his solution for it. He was amazed by it. He knew how to do what Jirou was doing but he never had the patience to continue solving for it. The process was long and tedious. Only people who are hardworking will finish it without any complaint. Jirou looked like a person who belonged to that category.

After finishing what he was writing, Jirou put down his notebook on the teacher's table and sat down on the seat behind it. Nao was sitting on a chair directly in front of the teacher's table. He did not mind Jirou's presence. He was just looking at what Jirou had written on the board. However, Jirou was completely bothered by Nao's presence.

"Why are you still here?" Jirou asked.

"I am reading your solutions." Nao said as he continued to do so.

"Why bother reading it? I bet you do not even know what method I used for solving these unknown values." Jirou answered.

Nao was unfazed by this comment. "You are right. I do not know what it is called but I do know what the actual process is. I do know you subtracted secondary diagonals from principal diagonals multiple times. Am I wrong?" Nao asked.

Jirou was surprised by Nao's answer. "You seem to be knowledgeable of advanced mathematics but still lack conceptual understandings."

"I know how to solve problems but I do not know the concepts behind my solutions. That is probably what sets you apart from different talented students in mathematics. Your grasp on conceptual understanding is on a level higher from others." Nao added.

Jirou raised his right eyebrow. "Are you praising me?"

"I am just stating my guess for why you were given your title." Nao continued.

Jirou chuckled from Nao's statement and shook his head. Nao did not let it bother him and continued admiring what was written on the board. After that, he looked at Jirou's notebook and the marker Jirou used in writing on the board. It was familiar to him. He knew he did not see any of those materials in here last night. It was from the storage room. Knowing that nobody could have gone into the storage room and took one of those without people noticing materials were taken, he knew Jirou only made those solutions this morning. _His sheer speed for solving must be an asset for him when it comes to competitions._

Because of this, Nao became curious why Jirou got the title. He looked at Jirou and asked, "If you do not mind, would you tell me how you got your title?"

He caught Jirou's attention. Jirou thought about it for a while before answering him. "I do not see any problem sharing you this bit of my life. I guess I might as well do something to pass time." Jirou straightened up his posture and started telling a part of his life.

"Even from a young age, I have been known for being great in mathematics. I would always enter competitions and never lost. I have traveled the world for International Mathematical Olympiad and won every year I have joined it. Due to my perfect record, my name became infamous when it came to mathematics. Some of my competitors have backed out of competitions I enter thinking they have no chance.

Competing was fun but I got bored eventually. It was not enough anymore. I still joined them but it was not something I was into anymore. I would win and not feel any happiness. Sometimes, competing felt like a waste of time. Bored, I searched for unsolved problems and attempted to answer them.

The questions I answered came from old books dating centuries ago. I did solve a lot of them. Unknowingly, most of the problems were considered unsolvable. My solutions were archived for future references. People would ask me why I answered them and I would always tell them I was bored but people always thought I was just joking.

From my solutions, new theorems arose. I did not mean to but I created various equations that are so new not a lot of books published have my equations integrated. These equations were needed to solve the problems. Mathematicians were astounded by my equations because of the logic I used. They promoted me giving me the kind of spotlight I never wanted.

Because of these accomplishments, I caught the attention of Hope's Peak Academy. One day, I received a letter saying I am the 'Ultimate Mathematician'."

Jirou told his story as if it was nothing. His accomplishments were something to be envious of. _Why does it feel like he is not satisfied with what he achieved? If I was him, I would be really proud of it. I guess different people have different perspectives._

Nao put his arms on the desk in front of him and rested his head on his arms. He was still looking at Jirou who was finally unbothered by him. He could not help but wonder why he wanted to meet Ayumu, Kayle, and Rei today.

"Why do you want to meet with Ayumu, Kayle, and Rei?" Nao asked.

"I want to learn their knowledge. I have to learn it if I want to achieve my goal." Jirou answered.

"What is your goal?" Nao asked.

"To become the 'Ultimate Scholar'." Jirou straightforwardly answered.

_What? He wants to be the best in every field there is in the world of academe? Why do so much work? He had already achieved so much? _Nao could not help but wonder why it was Jirou's goal. Unknowingly, Jirou mumbled to himself.

"They have to notice me after that…"

"Who will notice you for that?" Nao asked.

Jirou was shocked by Nao's question. He did not know he spoke his thought. On the other hand, Nao's curiosity was piqued by his statement. The two were blankly staring at each other. Nao was emotionless while Jirou was getting annoyed again.

"Get out!" Jirou stood up and pointed at the door.

Nao did not see any reason to stay at all. He exited the room and went on to the cafeteria. He understood why Jirou was angry. It might have been a secret he mumbled earlier that he did not want anyone to hear.

Even though Jirou has been hard to get along with, Nao kind of understood why Jirou is the way he is now. _It must have been hard for Jirou to live every day with so many expectations on him. The best way I could describe him is that he is cracking under pressure every day. However, who could he be talking about in his last statement?_

Nao shrugged his question off thinking it was not his business to get involved in. He continued walking and finally reached the cafeteria. To his surprise, nobody was still there. He thought at least three people would have been already there. _I am one of the first people to wake up. That never happened before! _

He sat in the cafeteria all alone waiting for someone to arrive. His attention was on the doors anticipating who will be coming in next. _I honestly thought at least Kayle, Samuru, or Reyes are already awake. _

The silence was uncomfortable. It made him feel alone and isolated. However, he was already used to it. The silence was his best friend in his daily life. He went to places all alone. He ate in restaurants by himself. He laughed in cinemas without anyone to talk to about it. He stayed in parks with no one to talk to. It had been with him wherever he went.

Suddenly, he heard a bunch of metallic objects falling on the floor from the kitchen. Nao looked at the direction of the kitchen. He was curious about what was happening inside. He stood up from where he was seated and walked towards the door to the kitchen. Before he opened the door, he was able to faintly hear a person in the kitchen talking to herself.

"You can do this! Just do what you normally do for the girls."

Nao opened the door and saw Umeko on the floor picking up forks and knives from the floor. Umeko was shocked to see Nao. She stopped for a moment and stared at Nao. Nao stared back at her until he decided to help her with the utensils. He knelt on the floor in front of Umeko and started picking up the utensils. Umeko continued staring at him until she finally snapped back into reality. She continued picking up the utensils. The two were silent as they picked up the utensils.

"I am so sorry! I am such a klutz." Umeko said.

Nao looked at her and smiled a bit. Umeko smiled as well.

"What happened?" Nao asked.

"I was preparing the utensils for breakfast. I washed it. After that, I was going to pair it up and wrap it in a napkin when I slipped on its drippings." Umeko answered.

"Why did you not ask for help for today's breakfast?" Nao asked.

The two finally picked up all of the utensils. They stood up and put it on the serving cart.

"Well, I did not want to bother anyone." Umeko answered.

"You can always ask for my help anytime you need it." Nao offered.

"Noted!" Umeko replied.

Umeko went back to the stove where she was cooking multiple things. In a small pot, she was poaching eggs. On a skillet, slices of bacon were frying. In another pan, she was toasting buns. Away from the fire, Nao guessed it was a hollandaise sauce that was sitting inside a bowl. Chopped scallions were also present on a chopping board. Sitting on a tray were several sandwiches that were already done.

From what he saw, Nao deduced she had been here for a long time to be able to prepare this much. _How early did she wake up for everyone? Was she earlier than Jirou?_

"Did you see Jirou already awake?" Nao asked.

"Yeah! I actually met him here. He finished washing the utensils he used when I walked in. After that, he pretended I was just the wind and went on his way. I did not mind it at all. I just wanted to make sure the others who cannot cook for themselves will have something to eat when they wake up." Umeko answered.

Nao suddenly felt slight guilt from this realization. He never had a plan to wake up early to help out the group unlike some people like Umeko who are willing to do tasks for the group.

Nao continued talking with Umeko while he discretely folded the utensils with napkins.

"What are you cooking?" Nao asked.

"Well, I forgot to ask everyone last night about their preferences so I decided to cook something simple like eggs benedict. After this, I will be making orange juice!" Umeko gleefully answered Nao.

Nao could not help but feel the zest Umeko was emitting. She was full of energy even though it was so early. Nao wished he felt like that every day throughout the day.

The two continued talking. "What did you cook for you and Rei?" Nao asked.

"I made us sandwiches. I forgot to ask her what kind of vegan meals she prefers to eat. Luckily, when the pantry was finally open, I was able to grab vegan bread. It was perfect for a sandwich I know how to make." Umeko answered.

After talking for so long, Umeko finally noticed Nao wrapping the utensils with a napkin. "What are you doing?" She went to see if Nao was doing it correctly. To her surprise, the way they were wrapped was decent.

"Am I doing it wrong?" Nao asked.

"It will do." Umeko laughed after replying.

"I did something wrong, didn't I?" Nao stated.

"It is not that. You could be more precise with folding it. It is just a minor detail." Umeko said.

"You really know your stuff with this kind of things. Why?" Nao asked.

Umeko finished poaching the last egg. She turned off the stove and looked at Nao.

"Well, do you know that I am part of a girl group?" Umeko asked.

"Some have said stuff like that." Nao answered.

"My groupmates and I stayed in an apartment rented by my agency for us. I would clean the apartment and cook for them. I do not really ask for help from them since they do not look like knowledgeable when it came to household chores." Umeko said.

"Do your groupmates offer you help?"

"No. They kind of pretend they do not see me doing the chores and act surprised to see the bathroom is clean after seeing me scrubbing on the tiles for two hours." Umeko's facial expression changed. She was still smiling but it was obvious the topic dampened her energy.

"You have lousy groupmates." Nao bluntly told Umeko.

"They are my friends after all. I do what I can for them." Umeko calmly replied.

"But do they treat you as their friend?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko was silent after Nao's question. She tried to fake a smile but it was obvious to Nao he hit a sore spot for her. She tried to do something with the food but she could not. She was flustered by Nao's question. _I think I went overboard this time._

Nao went to Umeko and put his right hand on Umeko's left shoulder. Umeko looked at him still trying to pretend she was okay. _I guess what I said was true. All this time, she knew it was just her who thought they were a squad of friends._

"I am sorry. It was not my place to deliver you a truth bomb." Nao quietly said. He went back to the serving cart and prepared all of the utensils. He took plates and glasses from the cabinets. After gathering every utensil needed by the group for breakfast, Nao looked at Umeko one last time.

"I am going to set the table outside." Nao started pushing the serving trolley and went out of the kitchen. From his behind, he could hear Umeko holding back her tears. _I went too far._

As he went out of the kitchen, he was surprised only one has arrived during his conversation with Umeko. The person was sitting where she was sitting last night. Unlike last night, she was alone. Her attention was on the door of the cafeteria waiting for someone to come in. Nao knew how that felt. It was the state he was in before hearing Umeko in the kitchen. The person was none other than the Ultimate Tact, Kayle Ito.

Kayle was quietly waiting for someone when Nao saw her. She quickly noticed Nao and waved her hand to say hello. Nao nodded. He noted how fast Kayle changed her posture and expression. To him, it was a façade. He knew he could be wrong. Maybe it was just because of his impression of her talent; someone who acts and talks in a certain way to not be offensive. Because of this, Nao wanted to know who Kayle really was.

Nao approached the table where Kayle was sitting at. "Hello!" Kayle greeted Nao.

"Hello to you too!" Nao replied back.

Kayle noticed the trolley with the various utensils.

"What are these for?" She asked Nao.

"These are for our breakfast. I wanted to help Umeko out." Nao answered.

Kayle looked at the direction of the kitchen.

"Is Umeko in the kitchen?" Kayle asked.

Nao nodded. After that, he added, "She was already there before the wake-up call. She cooked us eggs benedict."

"She did everything by herself?" Kayle worriedly asked.

"Yes. She said that she did not want to bother anyone." Nao answered as he recalled Umeko's answer to his question earlier.

"Next time, she should ask for help. We need to talk about this later. We cannot dump a big responsibility on one person only. That is unfair for her." Kayle stated.

Nao agreed. Umeko should not do things the way she did with her groupmates. They needed to treat her better than her groupmates especially if they are going to be around with each other for a very long time. However, he doubted that Umeko would just accept help from people. Nao thought Umeko as a person who will carry every burden she can until she breaks down.

Nao started arranging the table. Kayle quickly got up and went to the trolley. Nao was putting the plates down on the table when Kayle asked what she could do to help.

"You can help me put the forks and knives on the plate." Nao pointed at the paired utensils wrapped in napkins. Kayle immediately grabbed all of it and started doing what she was told to do.

It was quiet. Neither wanted to bother the other. However, Nao saw this as an opportunity to know more about Kayle. He wanted to know more about what her talent truly was. He still did not get it. She is inoffensive. He got that part. But, how did the school thought of her inoffensiveness the best among students who were also inoffensive? It was not like there is a contest for it like spelling bees and math challenges.

"Kayle, I know I have asked you this already, but what is your talent really? I still do not get it. And, how did you get it?" Nao asked as he continued setting down the plates.

Kayle did not stop and started saying her story. "My talent is actually quite simple. Basically, I am the most inoffensive student. I know what to edit out of my speeches. I practice proper decorum in every situation to avoid trouble. It is mundane, to be honest. However, I think the way I got my title is the most interesting fact about my title."

Nao was intrigued by this statement. The two finished setting up the table and sat down to face each other. Kayle cleared her throat and continued with her story.

"My father is a Japanese spy. When he is not at work, he would stay in his office which is within the building where the prime minister's office is located. I would stay there when I have spare time reading confidential files my dad receives. At first, I did not understand a single thing. However, as I got used to reading them, I was able to decode how they wrote their information. Basically, I mastered their jargon.

My father's colleagues at first did not believe it until I recited a long confidential file condensed into one paragraph in front of them. After that, they kind of treated me as a progeny. I would check their files if something was too obvious for normal people to understand. It was fun but I eventually got bored.

When I have nothing to do, I would sneak into the prime minister's office and read his future speeches to the public or for a meeting with other countries. I would copyread his speeches in my notebook to make it more public-friendly. I always showed it to my father. He said I have a bright future when it came to writing. I did not take it seriously because it was only for fun.

One day, I heard through the grapevine that a new speech was made for the prime minister. As usual, I sneaked in and copyread his speech. Unknown to me, it was already the prime minister's test for me. After I was done, the prime minister came in and caught me.

I froze from where I was sitting. He took my notebook and read it. He said 'The talk about you was true. You have exceptional talent when it came to making my speeches friendlier.' After that, he made me do his speeches. I was scared to refuse.

When I started writing for him, his approval rating increased dramatically. It went to a point that his rating was more than ninety percent. When he had spare time, I would teach him what to do whenever he is in public. I would teach him how to say the speech more effectively. I taught him proper body communication.

The school caught wind of my contribution to his improvement and decided to take me. At first, they were also confused about what title to give me since there is no job like what I do. Instead of them giving me the title, I suggested to them my current title. I said 'You can call me the Ultimate Tact since being tact is being inoffensive just like how I am with my training on the prime minister.'"

_That was an interesting insight into her life. She must be like the way she is now because of the environment she grew up with. She was always in a place where proper decorum is always needed to be observed. She was able to master it to the point that she can teach it to people._

"I did not expect that at all." Nao commented.

Kayle giggled after hearing Nao's comment. "You said what Jistunori said last night."

"It really was unexpected."

"What did you expect?" Kayle asked.

"Honestly, I thought it was going to be dull. I never thought it would involve a spy and the prime minister. It was as if you're life was building up into a plot of a shounen manga." Nao answered.

"I never heard someone think of it like that." Kayle replied.

After running out of things to say about her backstory, he quickly asked about her thoughts on Jirou's invitation.

"Are you still going to meet him later?" Nao asked.

"Yes. I want to reach out to him. He might be having a hard time adjusting with us because of people disregarding him." Kayle replied.

_It is not our fault. He was a dick to almost everyone._

"If he becomes a part of the group, what are you hoping for to happen?" Nao genuinely asked. _For sure she would not do this if she is not hoping for something to happen. What is her other agenda other than having people sing Kumbaya? _

"I think he will be helpful when it comes to decision-making. He is logical which is proven by his talent. We might need that. Also, his sharp tongue could keep people in check of their actions." Kayle answered.

Nao somewhat agreed with her thoughts. However, he did not see Jirou's logic of high demand. He believed that everyone's logic is of equal demand. Each one of them had different perspectives that will help the group make the right decision for all of them.

"I met him earlier." Nao said.

"He is already awake?" Kayle asked.

"Yes. Actually, according to Umeko, he woke up earlier than her." Nao answered.

"He seemed like a morning person after all." Kayle commented.

"I talked to him earlier. He told me that he wanted to meet you three to have some sort of tutoring session." Nao said.

"Me? Tutor him about what?" Kayle asked.

"Maybe about sociolinguistics. The way you describe what you do kind of reminds me of sociolinguistics since you tackle language and its direct effect on the listener." Nao answered.

"I see…" Kayle mumbled as she nodded her head.

"Where is everyone?"

The two were caught off-guard by the voice. It came from the farthest end of the table from where they were sitting. Nao quickly looked at the direction while Kayle slightly jumped from her seat. Kayle looked in the same direction. She put her right hand on her chest and took a deep breath to calm down.

"How long have you been standing there, Rei?" Nao asked.

It was Rei who startled them. She was still in the same outfit hugging the same notebook from last night. Nao was still curious about Rei's notebook. _What is with that notebook? _

"Not long. I arrived when you were talking about…Jirou." Rei answered.

_She was standing there for that long and we did not even notice her? We need to get her a bell. She will eventually freak out people if she continues to do this. _Rei sat down and put down her notebook beside the plate in front of her.

"Uhmmm…where is everyone?" Rei asked.

"A lot of us are still asleep." Nao answered.

"From what I know, only five of us are already awake." Kayle added.

"Who…are the other…two?" Rei asked again.

"Umeko is in the kitchen preparing our breakfast while Jirou is in classroom 1-A waiting for you, her, and Ayumu." Nao told Rei everything he knew.

"I thought everyone…should be…awake. He…told us…to wake up…right?" Rei was confused. It was obvious she did not understand Monokuma's wake-up call.

"He just announced that nighttime was over." Nao answered.

"Oh…" Rei uttered. After that, the room was filled with awkward silence. Nobody dared to say something nor move from where they were sitting. They were all waiting for someone to do something or say something. However, because of Rei's presence, neither Nao nor Kayle was sure of what to do to not make her feel isolated.

The three continued to stay like this until Umeko came out of the kitchen and Mako entered the cafeteria. Mako was sweaty and was still wearing his sleepwear. It was the same with Nao's. _It looks like the men and Mako have the same sleepwear. This could mean women have the same sleepwear as well. _Even though they looked exhausted from a workout, they were still brimming with life.

"Good morning! That was a great workout!" Mako shouted.

"Hi, Mako! What did you do? Why are you so sweaty?" Kayle asked.

"I worked out in the gymnasium. It was fun. I had the whole room all to myself. I woke up from Monokuma's voice. After that, I went straight to the gymnasium to work out." Mako explained themself.

"You should definitely take a shower first before eating breakfast." Umeko suggested.

"Yeah! I just came by to get a drink. Monokuma said I could get a bottle of water in the sweets fridge." Mako said.

"Okay. After taking a shower, come here quickly to eat. I made everyone eggs benedict!" Umeko said.

"That sounds great! I will definitely hurry." Mako went to the kitchen and quickly got out with a bottle of water in his right hand. He went out of the cafeteria immediately.

"I need the serving cart." Umeko pointed at the serving cart.

"Oh, sorry about that! I forgot to bring it back." Nao said.

He quickly went to the cart and pushed it into the kitchen. Umeko was surprised that Nao pushed it into the kitchen. _She was definitely thinking of grabbing it without anyone's help. _Umeko put the huge plates of eggs benedicts on the cart and the platter of sandwich for her and Rei. Umeko took out two pitchers of orange juice from the fridge and put it on the cart. After that, Nao pushed the cart out of the kitchen.

As they walked out, they were surprised by the increase in the number of people in the cafeteria. Reyes and Jitsunori were already chatting with Kayle. Ayumu was all alone in a corner. Eri and Takashiro were playing in front of Samuru who seemed to enjoy watching the two play with innocence.

The two looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 8:03 am. It somehow made sense for them to see a lot of people awake during that time.

The two put the platters of food on the table. Everyone looked at it. Ayumu's stomach grumbled from looking at it. "Oops!" Ayumu exclaimed. He was bright red from embarrassment. A lot laughed at him. "W-w-what? E-e-even a son of Zeus needs his nourishment!" Ayumu shouted. It just made people laugh harder.

"Hahahahahahaha! Stop speaking already." Takashiro was dying of laughter.

"You are lucky Hana is not here to tease you." Reyes nudged him on the shoulder.

"She will not let you hear the end of it!" Jitsunori added.

Suddenly, the door opened. Everyone looked. It was Mako and Hana who opened the door. Mako already took a shower. They were wearing a fresh set of clothes. The two were laughing with each other. Mako looked at the group. Jitsunori pointed at an available space beside him. Mako quickly sat there. Unsurprisingly, Hana sat beside Ayumu.

"Speaking of the devil!" Jitsunori commented.

"Why? Were you talking about me?" Mako asked.

"Not you! We were talking about Hana." Jitsunori added.

"Me? Why? Did Ayumu do something weird?" Hana asked.

The group quickly laughed.

"What did you do, son of Zeus?" Hana started teasing Ayumu. She looked at him with her sly smile.

"N-n-n-nothing! I-I-I swear! You could ask…uhmmm…Nao." Ayumu pointed at Nao.

Hana quickly looked at Nao who was on the other side of Hana. Ayumu quickly begged silently to Nao to not say anything about what happened earlier. The others chuckled a bit. Hana was clueless with Ayumu's actions since Ayumu was behind her when she was looking at Nao. Ayumu mouthed "I am begging you!" Nao could not take Ayumu seriously.

"What did Ayumu do?" Hana stared at Nao.

"His…uhmmm…" Nao could not think of anything to say other than "his stomach grumbled loudly".

"His what?" Hana continued.

Everyone was waiting for Nao's answer. A lot of people were curious about what Nao will do.

Nao took a deep breath.

"His stomach grumbled loudly." Nao answered.

"Why!" Ayumu shouted.

"Sorry! I could not think of any lie." Nao explained himself.

Hana looked at Ayumu. She cheekily smiled at him after learning what he did. Ayumu gulped and was readying for Hana's incoming waves of teases.

"I guess a thunderstorm was brewing inside the son of Zeus!" Hana jokingly said.

The group laughed at how Hana poked fun at Ayumu. Ayumu bowed his head from embarrassment. "S-s-sorry! I was hungry, okay! Even gods have feasts!" Ayumu whispered.

Ayumu's response made everyone laugh harder. He was unintentionally funny. His quirks are fun to watch and his long speeches about himself are endearing. The way he presents himself and his reaction to being embarrassed is weird. However, there is something relatable about him. For Nao, he is the personification of people's what-ifs. He is the human form of the thoughts of the people wanting to escape reality by creating their own fantasy land in their minds. _A lot of us pretended to be something else to be happy when we were still kids. Now, why can't we pretend to be happy? Is it just because we are not kids anymore? Or, is it because everyone has stopped pretending and started shaming people for trying to be happy?_

After the waves of laughter had died down, everyone present started to dig in. Each one took a pair of eggs benedict and poured themselves a glass of orange juice. Rei and Umeko took three sandwiches for themselves. Everyone tried to enjoy the meal. Most talked with each other. Just like last night, everyone was pretending everything was normal.

Nao knew that this will eventually stop when the days pass. People will start to isolate themselves with their own cliques. It was obvious to him cliques were starting to form. Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, and Reyes are becoming closer. Eri, Takashiro, Umeko, and possibly Nao are becoming another clique. After last night, Nao guessed that Asuka, Manon, and Samuru are another clique. Ayumu and Hana were happy living in their own fantasy land. The only ones with no identifiable cliques were Jirou, Rei, and Norio. _It will start to become like a normal high school when cliques form._

After being satisfied with the food. The group started talking about the distribution of chores. Kayle brought it up so that people would have an idea of the issue. Umeko quickly defended her choice and said to the group that it was okay for her to do it alone.

"I am okay with doing it alone!" Umeko stated.

"It is not about whether you are okay with it or not. It is about being fair to you." Jitsunori said. Umeko could not say anything about that. The group continued to talk about the issue.

"Who knows how to cook?" Kayle asked.

Everyone looked at each other. It seemed that nobody knew how to cook other than Umeko. Umeko was thrilled about this. She did not want to bother anyone about a menial chore she could do. However, Samuru raised a point.

"Roxanne can cook." Samuru brought it up.

"Could you tell her later to talk with Umeko about cooking duties?" Reyes asked.

"I think she is willing like last night. However, I do not think she will be able to cook for breakfast. Last night, she told me and Manon that she wakes up really late." Samuru said.

"It looks like we have no choice but to let me cook breakfast alone." Umeko said. She looked around to see if anyone will argue with that. To her dismay, someone slowly raised his hand.

"I know how to cook. And, I am willing to help Umeko." Nao said.

"You don't look like you enjoy waking up early." Umeko said.

"I don't. But, I can just sleep after cooking. It is not that big of a deal." Nao lied. It is a big deal for him to wake up early. However, he thought that if he does not help out in the things he can, it would be unfair for Umeko.

"I guess it is settled. You two should talk with Asuka about cooking duties later." Kayle said.

Everyone was about to stand up and go into their own ways when Reyes suddenly wanted to bring up something. "Wait! What about the inventory? Who will do it today?" Reyes asked.

"I forgot about that." Takashiro spoke what everyone was thinking.

"Let's do it for today." Kayle looked at Reyes. Reyes agreed to it.

"We should talk about the order of how we will do it. Mako and I could do it tomorrow." Jitsunori said.

"Roxanne and I could go next." Samuru said.

"Ayumu will do it for the both of us after Samuru's pair!" Hana shouted.

"You are helping me, you damned mortal!" Ayumu shouted. Hana just laughed at Ayumu for being annoyed with her.

Umeko looked at Nao and signaled for both of them to go next. "We'll do it after Hana and Ayumu." Nao stated.

"After them, I could do it again with Manon." Umeko said.

The only pair left was Eri and Takashiro. Everyone was hesitant to give the task to the two. The two did not seem like capable of handling dangerous objects. Umeko was the most hesitant. She turned around to Eri. "Are you okay with handling sharp tools?"

"Yes. I-I-I have handled saws and spinning gears before to make a toy. I-i-i-it is not new to me." Eri said.

"We are not dumb!" Takashiro used Tsune-kun to voice out his opinion.

"Okay then. After that, Kayle and I will do it again since the order will be cyclical." Reyes said.

After that, people went out of the room. Kayle invited Ayumu and Rei to join her to meet Jirou later. The two declined the invitation. Ayumu could not be bothered by Jirou's harsh tongue while Rei outright said, "I…will not listen to him if…he is not willing to listen…to other people."

After that, Kayle went away to proceed to class 1-A. Nao and Umeko were left to clean the dishes in the kitchen. Umeko cleaned the utensils with dishwashing soap and rinsed it while Nao wiped down the utensils with a dry cloth to dry it off after it was rinsed. The two did the task without any question. They just did it to have something to use for lunch later.

After that, they hung out with Eri and Takashiro. The day went by. Everyone was eventually awake. Manon and Asuka went into the cafeteria. They ate the leftover breakfast. As they were eating, Umeko and Nao discussed the cooking schedule with Asuka. Asuka did not have any problem with helping out with cooking. She did say what Samuru brought up earlier.

"I want to help with the breakfast duty but my body clock is fucked up. I could not wake up that early. I will help with lunch and especially with dinner since I am for sure awake by that fucking time. Sometimes I am still in bed during lunchtime. It depends on what I did the night before." Asuka said.

"There is no problem with that, Roxanne!" Umeko reassured Asuka.

"If that is the case, I will help out during breakfast and lunch while you try to help also with lunch and dinner." Nao said.

Nao turned to Umeko who was smiling while they were talking.

"Are you sure you are okay with doing all three meals?" Nao asked.

"Yeah! It is nothing new to me." Umeko said.

After that, Nao covered his mouth with his right hand and let out a loud yawn. He was starting to feel sleepy because he woke up earlier than his usual time of waking up. "I think I will go back to my and room. Just knock when you need my help in the kitchen."

"Do not worry bro! I can relate!" Asuka exclaimed.

Nao stood up from where he was sitting. He waved goodbye to Asuka and Umeko. Before he left, he went to Eri and Takashiro to say goodbye. He left the cafeteria and went back to his room. Finally, he reached his room and went inside. Quickly, he lied down on his bed. Not too long, he was able to fall asleep regardless of his position.

Hours have passed. Nao was still in his room peacefully sleeping. Unknown to him, the group has already eaten lunch. However, that did not matter to him. All he was doing was sleeping to his heart's content. It was not his fault. How can one be mindful of time when they are asleep? He was able to sleep for as long as he would have if it was not for Monokuma's announcement. It was perfect. The only thing that could ruin it was another announcement from Monokuma.

"Twerps! Gymnasium, now!" Nao slowly woke up after being bothered by Monokuma's announcement. He sat up and looked at his tablet. It was already past 3 o'clock. He quickly got up and ran to the cafeteria.

There, he was able to catch Umeko before she left the room like the others.

"I am so sorry! I fell asleep. Did you knock on my door?" Nao said.

Umeko giggled. "I did multiple times. No matter how loud I knocked, you would not wake up. You are one heavy sleeper."

"Did everyone eat lunch?" Nao asked.

"Yes. Let's go to the gymnasium. I think everyone is already there." Umeko said.

The two went to the gymnasium. As they entered the room, they saw everyone was standing there with no clue as to why Monokuma called them all. Nao and Umeko went to Eri and Takashiro. The two were sitting on the bleachers waiting for Monokuma.

"Hi! Where did you go?" Takashiro asked.

"I overslept in my room." Nao truthfully answered.

"That should have been expected from you." Umeko commented at Nao's statement.

"What do you mean by that?" Nao asked.

"Who knows? Hahahaha!" Umeko joked around.

The group was mumbling thinking of what will happen next. They were anticipating for Monokuma's next move. _What is Monokuma up to now? I think Jirou might know something. _Nao left the three and went to Jirou.

Jirou was standing near the door. He was leaning against the wall observing everyone's demeanor. When Nao was near him, he finally noticed him. He got his back off the wall and stood up straight with his arms crossed.

"What do you want from me?" Jirou asked.

"I was just thinking. You know the most about Monokuma compared to the rest." Nao said.

"So what? I just read books about him." Jirou answered.

"Well, I was wondering if you have any clue why Monokuma asked us to go here." Nao bluntly stated in front of Jirou.

Jirou snickered. "If I am not mistaken, Monokuma will be introducing to us our first motive."

_Our first motive? _Jirou noticed that Nao was confused with what he said. Because of that, he decided to explain it further. "He will be giving us a reason to kill other than freedom."

"Other than freedom, Monokuma will be giving us something else to kill for?" Nao asked.

"Yes, he will give us something else as a prize." Jirou answered.

"Like what?" Nao continued squeezing everything Jirou knew out of him.

"Like money. One of the participants in the past killing games killed for money. I think her name was Taeko Yasuhiro. She was pathetic in doing so. She killed two people. She almost won but she slipped up by saying something she should not have. What a dumb lady!" Jirou answered.

Nao became seriously concerned about this. If Jirou's hunch is true, anything could be laid down to trigger someone to kill. He did not want chaos to form. Everyone was doing okay so far. He did not want Monokuma to destroy their vibe. They were doing fine given the situation they were in. _I hope it is not anything too serious._

"Although, it is quite too soon for it. According to the books I have read, he usually gives the first motive two days after the students meet. Maybe, he does not want us to form strong bonds so that we could kill each other more easily." Jirou added.

"Thank you for your information." Nao went away from Jirou and went back to his group. He sat down and was getting tensed as the minutes passed. He looked at everyone and could not think of anyone capable of killing someone else. Samuru may be crazy but he would only kill for the sake of justice.

After a few more minutes, Monokuma finally showed up. Everyone who was sitting on the bleachers stood up and went to the center of the gymnasium. They all looked at the stage where Monokuma was. Monokuma was standing on the podium that was on the stage.

The bear had a smile. It was weird. No, it was chillingly weird. His tone in the announcement sounded like he was irritated. But, now that he is standing in front of them, he was weirdly smiling at everyone.

"Hello, my dear students!" Monokuma greeted everyone.

Nobody replied. It was completely silent in the gymnasium. Monokuma's claps filled the room. Everyone was just staring at him waiting for his announcement. None cared for him and his childish antics. If they have a choice, they would not be there to listen to him.

"Okay, I have an important announcement to make! We will be having a back-to-school party in three days!" Monokuma shouted.

Everyone started mumbling about it. _A back-to-school party? Why?_ Nao did not understand Monokuma's true intention. He could not think of a reason why Monokuma wanted a party. _There is a reason behind all of this._

"Why do you want to have a party?" Manon shouted.

"To celebrate the start of another great school year! What other reason could there be?" Monokuma asked.

Everyone tried to read into Monokuma's action. However, no one seemed to get where Monokuma was coming from. Nao tried but all he could think of horror movie tropes. _Does he think we will kill because a party exists? We are not in a horror movie. What makes him think we will kill just for that?_

"I am not thinking that you could use the party as a distraction while you are killing someone! Not at all! Also, no one will be able to use the time I will give you to prepare for the party to prepare their murder plan. Of course not!" Monokuma finally, though sarcastic, spilled why he wanted to have the party.

"I do not know why you think we will attend your stupid party. But, I am pretty sure no one will." Manon replied back.

"Do not be silly! Of course, I am requiring all of the students to join or else you will face punishment! We would not want to do that! Am I right, Manon?" Monokuma replied.

Manon was stumped with Monokuma's statement. They forgot Monokuma had the capability to kill them anytime he wished.

"What! I do not want to attend a party especially if it was prepared by you! Fuck no!" Asuka shouted.

_Asuka was not listening._

"Are your fucking ears clean? I did say earlier that you will be given time to prepare for the party. That time will be your time to make the party. Sheesh!" Monokuma shouted.

"You want us to make the party you want us to attend?" Reyes asked.

"Yes, miss thing!" Monokuma replied back at Reyes.

_How are we going to do that?_

Monokuma grabs a piece of paper and a pen from the podium. He jumped off the stage and landed in front of Rei. He gave the paper and pen to Rei. He went back up to the stage before telling everyone what to do next.

"I gave miss toothpick..." Monokuma was referring to Rei who was worryingly thin. "...a form and a pen. Assign everyone a specific task for the party. Do it now. Or else, I will have my spears rain down on you. Hahahahahahaha!" Everyone quickly went to Rei to take a peek at the form. The form consisted of five committees. The committees were the food committee, design committee, security committee, entertainment committee, and the central committee. Each committee had a maximum of five slots.

Rei gave the paper to Kayle to handle everything.

"If we are being forced to have a party, then let's make it the best party of our lives!" Kayle shouted. Everyone agreed with her. Instead of making it dull, they agreed to make it the most memorable.

On the stage, Monokuma chuckled. Nobody noticed it but Nao. Hearing that, Nao started to question if Monokuma's plan was only just this. _Is it really just a party that he will throw at us? From Jirou's story, I expected something worse. Maybe this is not yet the whole thing. I better be wary of how things will go._

"I think it goes without saying that Nao, Roxanne, and Umeko will be the food committee. Anyone wants to join them?" Kayle asked.

Other than Jirou, no one wanted to join. It did not surprise Nao. Jirou was the only one other than the three of them who knew how to cook. _Of course, nobody else would join._ _Why would they join the committee if they do not know how to cook? _The group then moved to the design committee.

"I-I-I want to join…I can make a disco ball…if you want to." Eri raised her hand.

"If Eri is joining, I am joining as well! I want to help with the disco ball!" Takashiro volunteered as well.

"I think I could offer some assistance with the designing for the party." Jitsunori stated.

"If that is the case, I will join the design committee." Mako said.

The design committee was filled. The group moved onto the next committee, the security committee. Obviously, Samuru and Reyes joined. They were the strongest physically out of the group.

"I think I can help with security." Manon was added to the security committee.

"Is there anyone else who wants to join the committee?" Kayle looked around. Quickly, she spotted Ayumu shyly raised his hand.

"Ayumu?" Kayle recognized his want to join.

"I-I-I want to if nobody would mind. I-I-I can protect all…of…you." Ayumu was cowering from embarrassment. Hana facepalmed herself from secondhand embarrassment.

"You do not sound like you can…" Samuru said.

"I can! And, I will prove it to all of you that I am not a joke; that I am the protector of the weak!" Ayumu stood by his stand. After that, the others let him be. They continued with the listing of committees.

"No one else? Then, let's proceed to the entertainment committee." Kayle said.

"I want to join!" Hana shouted with confidence.

"Can Roxanne and I join this committee as well?" Umeko asked.

"I think there is no problem with that." Kayle listed the two onto the list. No one else wanted to join the committee.

The people left that has not joined a committee were Kayle, Norio, and Rei. Kayle listed themselves in the central committee. "Is it okay if I lead?" Kayle asked the group.

Nobody saw a problem with it. Norio did not care and just yawned at the question. Rei had no confidence in leading. It was clear who would lead the group as a whole.

After writing down their names, Kayle raised the paper into the air and shouted, "We're done!" Monokuma went off stage and took the piece of paper from Kayle's hands. He looked at it and giggled. He waved the paper in front of them. "Is this the final list?" Monokuma asked.

Nobody said anything thinking everything was settled. Monokuma went back on the stage. "This is one interesting list of committees you got here! I cannot wait to see the fiasco that is about to unfold! Hahahahahahaha!"

_What are you truly planning?_

"Just watch us having a blast at the party!" Hana pointed at Monokuma.

"Do not worry! I will also have fun while you are partying!" Monokuma commented.

"You may use the next three days to prepare for the party. You can use anything you want to make backdrops or props like a disco ball. You are free to do whatever the fuck you want. If you need something you cannot find here, ask me. I might be able to get it for you. Upupupupupu!" Monokuma said.

"This is going to be the best fucking party ever!" Asuka shouted. Everyone cheered with her as well. People were trying to forget Monokuma was there. They want to make what Monokuma gave as a blessing. They want to make it as their temporary escape from this hellhole.

However, unlike the group, Nao was unconvinced. He was sure that Monokuma has still something up his sleeve. He thought Monokuma was more cunning than this. If Monokuma truly wanted to see murder, he would push them further than this. What Monokuma gave them felt like a slight nudge to Nao.

"The party will start at 9:00 pm and end at 11:30 pm. It will be held here in the gymnasium. The lockdown on the pantry and the storage room will be lifted for that nighttime only." Monokuma chuckled once more after that.

"We will be partying for two hours and thirty minutes!" Mako shouted.

Everyone was laughing and thinking about what the party would be. They were already imagining the time of their lives. They could already hear the music the three ladies would be playing. Some were already stating the food they want. Jitsunori was already discussing plans with Eri. It was clear the majority of the students were excited about it.

"Anyway, before I go, I just want you all to know that if nobody kills during the party, everyone will be executed thirty minutes after the party is over! Toodles!" Monokuma disappeared into thin air.

After hearing what Monokuma said, the students became silent as it sank in. Nobody could say a word. Their excitement turned into blank stares.

* * *

**There you go! What do you think of the first motive? Did you like the segments with Jirou, Umeko, and Kayle? Now that there is more information about what will happen next, who do you think will be the victim and the killer? Tell them in the reviews. I want to read your comments to see if anyone will get it right.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile. If you are having a problem, PM me.**

**That is all for now! Thank you so much for reading! I cannot wait to give you guys the next two chapters. Things are about to go down!**


	11. Who Killed The Disco Star? 3

**Hello! I cannot believe I am already this far with the story and this ahead of my schedule!**

**I really had fun writing this!**

**Anyway, I am not going to prolong this anymore.**

**Have fun with this chapter!**

* * *

After hearing Monokuma's final announcement, nobody could say a word. The room was quiet. No one could say anything about it. Even Hana shut up and could not say anything witty to follow it up. Everyone just stared at each other and let fear flourish within them.

_Monokuma really wants us to kill someone. I can't! This is too much! _Nao was lost for words. He knew that he does not have the guts to kill someone. He did not have to conscience to plot a murder. He could not look at someone and think to kill that person. He was sure there was no way he would kill. But, he cannot say that about everyone he was with in the room.

Samuru, who had his battle-ax with him, swung his weapon into the floor. Everyone could tell he was angry. His face said it all. Enraged by Monokuma, he could not contain it and had to let it all out for everyone to see. The people near him stepped away from him fearing that they might be harmed by the berserk executioner.

The executioner took the ax from the ground and shouted, "If anyone even dares to try to kill anyone, I will be the one who will personally execute you! Do you hear me!" Everyone quivered. His tone was frightening. They knew Samuru was serious about his threat. Samuru was a deranged executioner. He would not even take a second to think twice to execute someone right on the spot.

Suddenly, someone burst into tears. She could not handle everything that was told. "Th-th-this is too much!" Eri could not stop crying. She tried to wipe her tears off with her hands but her tears just kept on flowing. "I-I-I don't want to die b-b-b-but I don't want to kill anyone!"

At that moment, everyone understood what she felt. Nobody wanted to die. Everyone wanted to live but no one could imagine themselves killing someone else. Everyone was conflicted with the choices Monokuma left them. Everyone wanted to comfort and reassure her that everything would be alright. But, nobody did. Nobody could because they also wanted someone to tell them everything was going to be alright. They wanted someone to tell them they will be okay.

"This is fucking bullshit! I will not stand here and let that asshole make me do dumb shit!" Asuka shouted. She caught everyone's attention. She clenched her fists and continued talking.

"That motherfucker will never make me kill! He can kiss my ass! If I am going to die with my hands clean, then so be it! I do not have a fucking clue about what goes inside your brains but I hope nobody here is thinking of killing. That is for the weak!" No matter how much profanity Asuka said, Nao could not deny that it was what everyone needed. It was a reminder to everyone to be strong against Monokuma's mind game.

Jirou cleared his throat grabbing everyone's attention. "I cannot believe I will say this. Roxanne is right. This is what Monokuma wants from us. He wants us to start questioning our trust with each other. He knows that the only way we would start his game is if we start distrusting each other."

Kayle looked at her tablet and saw the time. It was getting late. "It is almost 6:30 pm. I think we should continue talking about this over supper. We will not be able to think straight if we are hungry." Everyone agreed with Kayle. They quickly went out of the auditorium and went straight to the auditorium. Kayle asked if Asuka, Nao, and Umeko could all help in cooking. The three agreed and went to cooking as quick as they could.

The three knew that they should cook something fast so that they could discuss things already. The three decided to cook vegan pasta with pesto sauce, chicken lollipops, and vegan chocolate brownies. Umeko was in charge of the pasta and the sauce. On the other hand, Asuka was in charge of coating and frying the chicken lollipops. While the two girls were working on the savory aspect of the meal, Nao was left with cooking the desserts. Everyone rushed to cook and was able to finish in thirty minutes. After cooking, the three served it while Mako and Jitsunori helped in giving everyone their utensils.

Everyone ate their dinner quietly. It was weird for Nao. It was his first time to eat with everyone present around the table. Even Jirou ate their food even though last night he would not for fear of being poisoned. Nobody knew where to start or how to start talking about their motive. Everyone wanted to ignore it. If they can, everyone would pretend nothing happened.

_We should start talking. Pretending will make things worse. _Nao thought someone should start. He could not think of anyone more appropriate for the job than Kayle. Kayle had proven herself to be quite a leader. She had the talent to make people feel they belonged. Nao was finished eating when he initiated for the talk to start.

"Kayle, I think we should start talking about our problem." Nao said.

"Oh, yes, I agree. What does everyone think we should all do moving forward?" Kayle asked the group. No one had an answer except for Jitsunori.

"Let's talk about the party. Should we still prepare for it?" Jitsunori suggested.

"I do not think we have a choice about that." Norio said. Everyone was shocked. Norio had been quiet about everything that was happening. He would just yawn on the side and not join with the group's discussion. _Now that his life is on the line, maybe he will start joining the group._

"What do you mean by that?" Reyes asked.

"Monokuma is definitely expecting us to prepare for it. If we do not, he might do something to us." Norio explained his statement.

"I do believe your worry has merit to it but I do not think I recall Monokuma saying we are required to prepare for it." Jirou tried to counter.

"You are right about that. But, I do not think he will just let us slip by. He said that we are required to attend the party. How will we be able to attend the party if there is none? Monokuma can use that kind of reasoning to punish us." Norio continued to defend his statement.

"I see. You have a point. If that will be the case, I think we should still prepare for it." Jirou conceded to Norio.

Everyone agreed to still prepare the party even though some did not want to._ This sucks! It will be like celebrating our impending doom. We should do something about it. _Nao could not help think that the party might just bring everyone's morale. It might even tempt people more to kill during the party. Nao had to point it out.

"I think we should go all out for this party. If it will be our last party on earth, it should be the most memorable and the happiest thing we will ever do." Nao suggested. Although he tried to be motivating, he just came off monotonous. He was not too sure if his idea will be welcomed.

"I agree with him! We should party like we never have before!" Mako shouted.

At first, only a few were on board with giving it their best to make the party happen. "Why bother making it great? We are just giving ourselves more reason to kill." Manon said. Everyone looked at her. She was on the fence on the idea of having a party. Some agreed while others tried to make Manon change her mind.

"I don't think we are giving ourselves more reason to kill. What makes you think like that?" Umeko asked.

"I do not know if everyone thinks like me but I sure love feeling alive." Manon said. What she said tugged a string within everyone's heart.

"I love being excited. I love laughing with my friends. I love getting into trouble. I love trying to get away from it. I love staying up all night. The party will just remind me of everything I love about living. Pretending that I will not miss that will drive me nuts. I just cannot!" Manon explained her side.

Everyone was able to relate to her. People had different things they love about living. For Manon, everything about the party will remind her of everything she loves about living. Umeko agreed with Manon but she thought it was not the right way to think in that situation.

"Everyone here has different reasons for wanting to live and I think that is how we should think during the party. We should look at each other and think that they have their own reasons to live. In that way, we will only think that we all have reasons to live and no one deserves to die." Umeko insisted. At first, Manon wanted to continue to prove it will only do more harm than good but she realized that there was no point to fight over a party. She let Umeko win and agreed to go all out on the party.

"Now that is settled, when should we start preparing for the party?" Kayle asked. The group was unsure of what to answer. They have almost three days to prepare for it. Some like Manon did not really want to use all the time they have left just to prepare for the party while others wanted to give everything for the party.

"What if we start tomorrow?" Umeko suggested.

"Why so quick?" Manon asked.

"So that there would be plenty of time to make the party better. Plus, if something goes wrong, there will be time to do something about it." Umeko answered.

"But, it is quite tedious for just a party for two hours and thirty minutes. Can't two days be enough?" Manon asked.

"Well, we could but it would be better if we start sooner!" Umeko was really motivated.

Manon was about to raise another argument when Eri raised her hand timidly. Luckily, Kayle noticed this and asked everyone to hear out Eri's suggestion. "What if we just let everyone work…whenever they want to. T-t-they could just coordinate with their committee…about…their…tasks…" Eri was taken over by her shyness. Everyone understood her point and agreed it was the best plan of action. Manon did not bother to raise her point anymore and let the group continue with the discussion.

"Are there any more questions regarding our party?" Kayle asked. Everyone seemed content with what they discussed except for Nao.

"I think we should discuss a certain committee. They will be very important while the party is ongoing." Nao raised his point.

"Which committee are you talking about?" Kayle asked.

"I think everyone should know the security committee's plan of action. I do not want to be a downer but they will be ensuring no one kills during the party." Nao explained.

"I see. Everyone will feel safer during the party if they know what the committee will be doing." Kayle said.

"Who are members of that committee? Please your hand." Norio asked.

The members were Ayumu, Manon, Reyes, and Samuru. "Ayumu wants to become your leader!" Hana joked. It was not received well unlike her previous jokes about Ayumu. Ayumu laughed at her and made a comment about her. "Not so funny after all…"

Kayle called Ayumu's attention. "Please focus." Hana giggled. In the end, Hana had the last laugh. "Sorry…" Ayumu said after feeling embarrassed.

"Who shall be your head?" Kayle asked.

"I think Samuru would perfectly fit the role." Reyes suggested. Nobody argued with Reyes' suggestion. Because of that, Samuru got the job. He started doing his duty as soon as his job was given to him.

"Will you mind Kayle if I take over the discussion first?" Samuru asked the overall leader.

"Not at all! Do everything you can to do your job!" Kayle said. Then, Samuru took over the conversation.

"I already have a plan. However, I need another person willing to be part of the committee." Samuru looked around to see if anyone was willing. Luckily someone was willing to volunteer for the job.

"I can join if you want to!" Kayle volunteered herself.

"Are you sure?" Samuru asked Kayle.

"Yes! Anything for the group!" Kayle answered.

"Okay then. Before I continue, I just want to make sure if the entertainment committee will be performing onstage." Samuru asked the three musically-inclined ladies in the group.

"I want to but I do not know about my other groupmates." Umeko said.

"I definitely want to fucking perform balls to the wall! I want to show everyone how I can fucking shred with my guitar!" Asuka exclaimed.

"That sounds fun! I am so in with that!" Hana agreed with the two other ladies.

"If that is the case, I want Kayle to be on standby backstage when you are performing. After the girls perform, you may join everybody in the center of the gymnasium again where everyone will be staying." Samuru ordered Kayle. Kayle agreed and Samuru moved on to his next order.

"I want Reyes to be with me in the center ready for anything. Reyes, when you see someone behaving poorly or suspiciously, quickly apprehend them. We do not have the time to guess whether or not it will escalate into a murder." Reyes got it and agreed.

Samuru continued with Manon's role. "Manon, you will be on standby with a first aid kit. You need to be alert when someone needs first aid. You cannot miss anyone who needs medical assistance." Manon understood.

The last person with no assigned role yet was Ayumu. "I will give you the duty of guarding the door. I want you to make sure nobody goes out of the gymnasium. If someone is persistent to go out, report it to me immediately." Ayumu was slow to understand it. But after some time, he got it.

"I do not want to ruin the fun for you but I would like to know if you are willing to guard from the outside." Samuru asked.

"Why does Ayumu need to?" Takashiro asked.

"It would be easier for him to keep track of people going outside if he is outside. And, he will not be easily distracted by the party." Samuru explained. It made sense. However, for Nao, it was quite unfair for Ayumu. Ayumu should be able to see the fun and feel he belonged in the party. If he stands outside, he might feel outcasted.

"You do not need to do it." Samuru reminded Ayumu.

"I will gladly do it! If it is for protecting the weak, I will make sure I will do my duty to the fullest!" Ayumu said.

"Are you sure about that?" Samuru asked again just to be sure if Ayumu was sure about his decision.

"Yes, there is no changing my mind for I have the iron will of a god!" Ayumu laughed as he deepened his voice to sound intimidating.

"I admire your commitment to your duty!" Samuru praised Ayumu. Ayumu had the biggest smile everyone had ever seen from him. He was truly happy with Samuru's praise.

"It is only natural for a son of a god to take care of the mortals he lives with!" Ayumu added. Ayumu maybe weird but nobody could deny he was a kind boy. He has been nothing but a source of joy for everyone. Even if it is just a part of his fantasy, he tries to help out people whenever he can. And, he is so patient with Hana. Other people would have been annoyed with her already.

"Are there any more concerns?" Kayle asked.

The group was silent. So far, everything discussed was okay for all of them. None of them saw any problem to raise.

After that, Kayle adjourned the meeting and let everyone go on their separate ways. Eri and Takashiro said goodbyes to everyone since they were going to sleep. Hana and Ayumu told the group they will be staying in the gymnasium. Manon, Asuka, and Samuru stayed in the cafeteria talking about any topic. Jitsunori, Mako, and Reyes were talking to each other again. Norio was already sleeping where he sat to eat. Surprisingly, Jirou stayed and talked with Kayle probably about their discussion earlier during their meet-up. Nao did not see Rei leave but she mysteriously disappeared and was not anymore in the room. While this was happening, Nao and Umeko started clearing up the table.

"It looks like we are going to team up again." Nao tried to start a conversation.

Umeko did not reply. Instead, she was blankly staring at a plate. Nao noticed this and was concerned about Umeko.

"Hey! Umeko! Are you okay?" Nao snapped his fingers in front of Umeko. Suddenly, Umeko snapped back into reality. She looked at Nao and yawned.

"I am sorry! What was that?" Umeko asked as she smiled as if nothing happened.

"I think you need to take some rest." Nao suggested to Umeko. Umeko just shrugged it off and continued clearing the table when she dropped the utensils to the floor unconsciously. She quickly knelt down and gathered the utensils. The noise the utensils created caught everyone's attention except for Norio's since he was asleep.

"I think you should sleep already." Nao went to Umeko and quickly helped her. Kayle and Reyes approached the two to ask what was going on.

"Is everything alright?" Kayle asked.

"Yes, nothing to worry about!" Umeko pretended. Nao looked at Umeko. Then, he looked at the other two girls.

"No, she needs some rest but she would not. I think she is starting to fall asleep." Nao said.

Kayle quickly knelt down to Umeko's level. "Hey, you do not need to push yourself."

"I am really fine." Umeko yawned after.

"I know what that type of yawn means. It means it is time for you to get some sleep." Reyes said.

Umeko could not continue pretending and yielded to the two. Kayle offered Umeko to come with her to her room. Umeko gave the utensils to Nao and went with Kayle. Nao was left with Reyes. Reyes knelt down and grabbed the other utensils left. "Thank you!" Nao said.

"No worries!" Reyes said. After that, Reyes continued helping to clear the table. Because of that, they were able to clean the table quickly. The two put the utensils on the serving trolley and Nao pushed it into the kitchen where he could wash it. Reyes followed him

"Do you need some help?" Reyes asked.

Nao looked at the messy kitchen and quickly wanted help from Reyes. "That would be appreciated."

Reyes started washing the dishes while Nao started cleaning the kitchen from the dirt created from cooking earlier. He started wiping the stoves and the tabletops. It was quiet. Nobody said anything. It was starting to get awkward. Nao hated that and decided to get to know Reyes more.

"You are a princess, right?" Nao asked.

"Yes! I am third of the four children of the king and queen of Spain!" Reyes proudly answered.

"I don't want this to come across offensive but I was wondering how a princess became a fencer?" Nao asked.

"I do not find it offensive! You are just curious how I became part of two different worlds, right?" Reyes replied.

"Yes, I am intrigued by your story." Nao honestly told Reyes.

"Well, there is no harm in telling you my story. It is quite funny actually." Reyes giggled after thinking of her story.

"Because of my royal background, I was raised to be prim and proper. I was told to do this and to do that. I was made to memorize a lot of things about etiquette. They would tell what I could not do. It was a lot of work and it was not for me. It also did not help me to have strict parents. My earlier part of childhood was really rough. I hated it.

One day, for some reason, I was able to convince my parents to let me train for fencing. They allowed me so that I would be ready to defend myself anytime. But honestly, I just wanted to do it just for fun since it really looked cool. It eventually stopped when I was eleven since I was able to master it.

I was really sad since it was something that made me happy while I am a princess. I had to do something about it. So, I did what a normal teenager would have done. I snuck out from home, which is a castle, by the way, to enter a child fencing tournament. Hahahahaha! It was really fun!

Anyway, I entered the competition in full fencing gear without revealing my true identity since I had my fencing mask on. I entered myself as the 'White Knight'. Silly name, I know! But, I won competitions and it was a lot of fun. You cannot blame for doing what I love to do. I made friends without knowing my true status. It was wonderful to feel normal.

I continued joining competitions with my identity remaining a mystery. It was only revealed when Hope's Peak reached out to me to become the 'Ultimate Fencer'. I had to reveal it to the world and a lot of my constituents were shocked. Hahahahaha!

That is how I became a fencer. Actually, I already told you how I got my title, didn't I?" Reyes revealed.

"You kind of did." Nao enjoyed Reyes' story. It really felt like she loved what she was doing. Even the way she was telling her story revealed how much she loved her hobby. She was full of energy telling it.

The two continued talking to each other as they finished their tasks. Reyes laughed as Nao shared some of his lazy moments when he was back at home. They continued talking and enjoying each other's presence. Finally, they were done with their respective tasks. They got out of the kitchen. Reyes joined her own group while Nao stood near the kitchen door. Eventually, his fatigue caught up to him making him yawn. He quickly took it as a sign to go to bed.

He went out of the cafeteria. Instantly, he was greeted by the presence of Hana and Ayumu who came from the gymnasium. The two walked with Nao since all three of them were going to hit the bed already. Ayumu and Hana, though sleepy, still had the energy to have a light-hearted banter. Nao enjoyed hearing their clapbacks to each other. Eventually, the three reached their quarters. Since Nao and Ayumu's rooms were beside each other, they said goodnight to each other as they entered their respective rooms.

Quickly, he went to his bathroom and prepared himself to go to bed. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, changed into his sleepwear, turned off the lights except for the lamp, and lied on the bed. Not long, he fell asleep.

* * *

A day has passed since Monokuma announced their party. There were only at most two days left to prepare for the party. The following day would be already the day for their party. Yesterday, people have already started their own preparations for their party. The design committee has started working on designing the gymnasium and creating the giant disco ball. The food committee has decided which food they were going to serve. The entertainment committee has started practicing for their performances for the party. Everything was going according to plan. Everyone was excited for the party to come. Although, everyone dreaded what was to come after the party.

It was early in the morning and Monokuma has not yet made the morning announcement. Nao was already awake. He was already taking a steamy shower in his bathroom. After that, he changed into his daily clothes and went straight to the kitchen.

He has already adjusted to the schedule. Now, he was able to wake up early without getting cranky. It was needed since he had the task to help Umeko with preparing the breakfast. Nao wanted to be early since he knew Umeko would start as early as she could just to make the breakfast.

Nao walked to the kitchen. To his no surprise, Umeko has beaten him to get there first. She was already whisking a bowl of something. He was not sure what it was but it definitely smelled amazing. He could smell the soy milk wafting through the air. Quickly, he went to Umeko and asked her what they are going to cook.

"I want to make chicken and waffles for everyone. Rei and I will be eating vegan versions of it. Does it sound okay?" Umeko asked.

_Her cooking is amazing. I could eat anything she cooks all day. Why does she think it does not sound okay?_

"Are you kidding me? It sounds wonderful!" Nao said.

Umeko smiled as she continued making the batter for the waffles. As she was making the batches of waffles, Nao started making the coating for the chicken and pressed the tofu to get rid of its water content.

"This is how you make vegan fried chicken?" Nao asked.

"This is my version of it. Tofu is the perfect vehicle for the fried chicken's seasoned coating. It really is yummy. You should try some later!" Umeko said.

"I think I will!" Nao said.

As they were cooking, Monokuma sounded his daily morning announcement. "Hello! Two days to go until the party! Get up and use the day to your fullest!" Monokuma turned off the audio system and the building went back to its silence.

"Just wondering, how did your practice with Roxanne and Hana go?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko quickly giggled.

"It was fun! Roxanne was funny! She had so many ideas. And, to have Hana who is a goofball surely made the practice more interesting. The two were out of this world!" Umeko really had a blast working with the other two ladies.

"I wish I was there to see it…" Unknowingly, Nao mumbled to himself. _I am so bored. All I did was sit in Jirou's discussion with Kayle. After that, I went to the cafeteria and waited for hours for people to come._

Umeko overheard it and thought of something. "Do you want to come and watch us practice later?" Umeko invited him to join them.

"I do not think I should. I might be just in your way when you practice later." Nao wanted to but he thought he would be just a cause of a disruption.

"It will be fine! Come on! I know you want to!" Umeko teased Nao.

"If you insist…" _Finally, I have something to look forward to today._

"We will be practicing at around 2:00 am in classroom 1-B." Umeko told him.

"Noted!" Nao said as he started frying the chicken. Umeko finished making the batter and has greased the waffle iron. After a few minutes, she started pouring the batter in and closed the cooking equipment.

_She is caring and sweet. Her boyfriend must be very lucky._

"Are you like this with your boyfriend?" Nao asked out of the blue.

Umeko was taken aback by the question. She was caught off-guard by the question. She almost spilled a batter onto the floor. "Boyfriend?" Umeko asked.

"Yes, your boyfriend. You have a boyfriend, right?" Nao asked.

"I don't have one! Where did you get that?" Umeko asked.

"Roxanne told me yesterday that you were dating some guy named Tsuyoshi Ken'ichi. She said he was handsome and kind, someone fit for you." Nao answered.

"I think Roxanne has been reading too much gossip articles. I am not dating anyone. Tsuyoshi is a male idol from my agency. He is quite a looker but, unfortunately, has a bad attitude. People tried to ship us but it never worked since we do not get along." Umeko explained her side.

"Oh, I see…I should not have believed Roxanne." Nao said.

"If I had a boyfriend, do you think I will be enough?" Umeko asked out of nowhere.

_What kind of question is that?_

"You are one of the sweetest, most caring, most thoughtful, most intelligent person I know. Anyone who will have you should be thankful you are part of their life." Nao said as he continued dropping the chicken in the deep frier.

Umeko hugged Nao from the back. Nao was surprised by this. "Thank you! I personally think you are way more handsome and kinder than most male idols I have ever worked with." Nao blushed from hearing Umeko's statement. It was a good thing that she was behind him and could not see his face. After a few more seconds, Umeko let go of Nao.

"I was just saying the obvious." Nao said.

"I am going to let you in on a secret." Umeko said. Nao continued cooking as he listened to Umeko.

"I have never had a boyfriend." Umeko said.

"It is because of your agency's dating ban before, right?" Nao asked.

"Before I even became an idol, I would purposefully not go on dates. I just thought I did not deserve the men who would ask me out on dates." Umeko said.

"Isn't it usually the other way around?" Nao asked.

"Well, I guess I just had a rough childhood." Umeko answered.

Nao was stopped from doing what he was doing. He looked at Umeko who was just smiling at the waffle iron waiting for the waffle to cook. _Rough childhood? _Nao became curious about it but did not want to push Umeko into a place she does not want to be in.

"You do not have to talk about your childhood if you do not want to." Nao said.

"Thank you!" Umeko looked at Nao.

The two continued cooking and eventually finished everything. Nao prepared lemonade in two pitchers while Umeko grabbed the utensils. They put everything on the serving trolley and went outside of the kitchen and into the cafeteria. There, only Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, Rei, Reyes, and Takashiro were already awake and waiting for breakfast.

"Hello! Are you guys hungry?" Umeko greeted the group.

"I can smell waffles! Did you make waffles?" Takashiro said.

"We actually made vegan waffles." Nao casually said as he put the tray of waffles on the table.

The waffles were fluffy and golden. It was appetizing to look at. And, it smelled really amazing.

After putting waffles on the table, Umeko put out the tray of golden, crispy chicken. Its savory smell was enticing. A lot of them were already ready to take a piece of chicken for themselves. Luckily, Kayle was there to remind people to control themselves. "Let's wait for the cooks to ready everything. We should eat with them."

After a few more minutes, Nao and Umeko were finished setting up the table. Finally, the ultimates were able to start eating. Umeko gave Rei their piece of "chicken" so that Rei would not get the real chicken. Takashiro attacked the chicken and ate as many as he could. Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, and Reyes kept talking to each other as they continue to enjoy the meal.

A few more minutes and people started to come. Eri first came and immediately made a remark about the smell of waffles. "Are there…waffles?" Takashiro raised a piece and immediately caught Eri's attention. She quickly went to Takashiro and sat beside him.

After Eri was Hana and Ayumu. Hana and Ayumu sat beside each other. Nao noticed Hana mostly ate waffles and only half of a chicken. _She has some sweet tooth. _Hana gave Ayumu the leftover piece of chicken. Ayumu gladly took it and ate it. Unlike Hana, Ayumu was devouring mostly chicken.

Then, Samuru came in. He quickly noticed the meal and was excited to eat. "Umeko and Nao, you two have a wonderful gift for cooking! The group would not know what to do during breakfast without you two!" Samuru claimed. He sat down. Then, he noticed the pitchers of lemonade.

"Is this lemonade?" Samuru asked.

"Yes, I made it." Nao answered.

Samuru stood up and went to the kitchen. A few more seconds and he came out with a bottle of water. "Though it looked amazing, I could not drink it for I am extremely allergic to lemons." Samuru said.

"Oh, sorry about that. I did not know." Nao said.

"There is no need to worry. You did not know and only did your job." Samuru said.

The group continued eating their meals. Nobody came afterward. Eventually, everyone has finished eating. The group helped in stacking the plates and glasses. Eri put all of the used forks and knives in a glass. Then, Umeko and Nao took all of the used utensils and brought them to the kitchen. Just like yesterday, they washed the dishes as they talked to each other. After washing the dishes, the two separated and went on to do what they have planned for the day.

_I will watch Umeko's rehearsals later. What should I do to pass the time? _Aimlessly, he wandered around the building. He found himself in front of the clinic. He knew someone was in there since he could see a figure moving through the translucent glass on the door. He opened it and saw Manon.

Manon was sitting on a desk with first aid tools and a bag around her. She was labeling things and putting it inside the bag. Manon noticed Nao and greeted him. "Hi." It was short and somewhat cold. Though, Nao did not mind. He knew Manon was the distant type of person. From the way she has been acting, the group knew she would like to be alone if given the chance.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Nao asked.

"Later…" Manon replied.

"What are you doing here?" Nao asked.

Manon continued what she was doing. "I am readying the first aid kit for tomorrow." Manon did not even make eye contact with him.

"Samuru must have given you a lot of instructions for tomorrow if you are preparing already." Nao said. He is trying to have a conversation with her but she would not care. She was more distant today than she would regularly be.

"Not really. I just know what to put inside a first aid kit since I always have one during competitions." Manon said. With that, Nao found a way to open up a conversation with her.

"When was the last time you used a first aid kit during one of your race?" Nao asked. _It is a terrible question but, I think, this will have to do._

Manon stopped doing her task and thought to herself when was the last time she used it. "I think I used it during the race where Hope's Peak Academy noticed me." Manon said.

"What do you mean by that?" Nao asked.

"Well, I did not use it for myself. I used it for my competitor." Manon answered. This has definitely piqued his curiosity.

"Would you mind sharing what happened?" Nao asked.

"Not really. It was not really a big of a deal." Manon nonchalantly replied. She looked at Nao and started telling her tale.

"It was like any other race I have ever been in. There were lots of competitors from different countries and schools. I was already used to the huge crowd since I have been entering competitions since I was little. To me, it was just an ordinary race.

The race started and everyone rushed to get ahead from the rest. None would let each other take over. I, on the other hand, did not find difficulty maintain my place. I was one of the leading cyclists. Only a few were able to catch up to me. Because of that, some people did stupid things.

One cyclist crashed and injured his legs. I was near him and stopped. At first, I thought I should continue but I noticed there were no medics near us. So, I stayed behind. Luckily, I had my fannypack. It had some bandages. I made sure he was okay until the medic arrived.

After a few minutes, a medic came to help him. Everything was alright. I left him for the medic to take care of him. I rushed to catch up to my competitors. A lot of people thought it was over for me. But luckily, I was able to catch up.

One by one, I overtook my competitors. I surprised them with my speed. They thought I was already out of the race. My ranking went up steadily. I was tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh, sixth, fifth, fourth, third, and second. Unfortunately, I did not make it in time. If I was able to leave the guy earlier than I had, I would have won."

Nao was impressed by Manon's achievement. It was no easy feat to do what she pulled off. And, she showed that she cares for other people. She was not this distant to people. _Maybe she just needs to start warming up with everyone else. _

"That sounds like a story only an 'Ultimate Cyclist' would have lived through." Nao said.

Manon went back to her task. Nao quickly noticed the bag. It was his first time to see it in the clinic. "Where did you get that bag?" Nao asked.

"I got it from the storage room." Manon answered.

"Were there any people in that room?" Nao asked.

"As I left, Eri and Takashiro came. They went straight to the huge disco ball they were making." Manon said.

_They really want to have a disco ball. _Nao thanked Manon and bid her farewell. He went out of the room and went straight to the storage room. There, he saw the two tinkering away on the massive disco ball. Eri was wearing a welding mask and was welding something on top of the ball while Takashrio was holding the ball in place to make it would not wobble while Eri was on top. Even though she was welding, she was still holding Honey.

"There! All done!" Eri exclaimed as she turned off her welding tool. She jumped off the ball and went to Takashiro.

"Wow! This is amazing." Nao said as he approached the two.

"It was all thanks to Eri! She did every dirty job. I was not much of a help in comparison to her." Takashiro said.

"W-w-what are you talking about? You were of great help!" Eri said.

"Regardless of who did what, you made a great job making this disco ball! This is huge!" Nao said.

"Yes…It is actually about 30 lbs. Not that heavy…" Eri said.

"Wow…" Nao was left speechless. He was amazed by Eri's ability to create things. Maybe for her, this was just a toy. But to Nao, it was more than that.

"How did you get on top of the ball?" Nao continued asking.

Eri pointed at the two ladders. "I-I-I used the wooden one since i-i-it could support. I asked Monokuma if he c-c-could lend us a ladder. He gave us two since the wooden could only support a person with a mass less than or equal to 105 lbs. According to Monokuma, i-i-if the person going to use the wooden ladder weighs more than 105 lbs, it might collapse so he gave us the other one for people weighing more than 105 lbs." Eri explained.

"I see…" Someone said behind Nao. The three looked at the direction where the voice came from. They saw Norio and Kayle who was standing there and looking at the giant disco ball. Norio was the one who spoke. After that, the two went to the three.

"How is everything?" Kayle asked.

"We just finished the disco ball." Takashiro said.

"Isn't it quite too big?" Norio said.

Eri and Takashiro looked at the ball they made. "We do not think so."

"Well, it is big and might take quite a space below the party." Kayle said.

Eri and Takashiro looked at each other. It was clear they did not think of it like that.

"If you do not want to make it smaller, it will have to do." Kayle added.

"W-w-we cannot make it smaller because of the welding b-b-but we could m-m-make a smaller disco ball. It might only weigh 20 lbs if done right." Eri said.

"Are you sure you want to do another one?" Kayle asked.

"I d-d-do not see a problem. Plus, it is a party…everyone should be able to enjoy…everything." Eri said.

Kayle and Norio left after talking with Eri and Takashiro. Quickly the two went to work on a new disco ball. _They might overwork themselves. _"Are you sure it is alright for you to make another one?" Nao asked.

"Yeah!" Eri said as she went back into welding a piece for the new disco ball. Takashiro assisted her as she welded.

Nao did not have the heart to leave the two. Because of that, he stayed to help the two. He took off his bomber jacket and put it aside. He crouched down to where Eri was sitting. He tapped her shoulder. Eri turned off the tool and looked at Nao. She looked at him from head to toe. "I-I-I think you can saw th-th-the pieces of wood over there into four equal parts." Eri pointed at the wood under one of the cabinets.

Nao went right to it. He started sawing the pieces of wood. He did not really exactly know what it was for but he trusted Eri with her plan. One by one, he saw the pieces of wood until there was none left to saw. It was exhausting since he manually did the labor. He wiped off the sweat on his face with his sweat-soaked shirt and lied flat on the floor. Takashiro noticed this and left Eri and Nao to get something to drink.

Eri stopped welding and went to Nao. "I-I-I'm sorry. I should not have made you do it…"

Nao sat up straight and looked at Eri. "It was alright. I was the one who volunteered to help."

After that, Nao noticed Eri did not even break a sweat from welding. _I thought she was a toymaker. How did she learn to weld? _Because of that, Nao became interested in Eri's background and what she did as a toymaker.

"I thought you were a toymaker, not a welder. How did you learn to weld?" Nao asked.

"I-i-its part of my job. I-I-I learned how to weld because I wanted to create toys using metals. I learned a lot of things t-t-to create toys. It wasn't…just…welding." Eri timidly answered.

"Tell me more." Nao asked.

Eri was hesitant. But in the end, she started answering Nao.

"Well…I learned a lot of things about biology, chemistry, and physics. I-I-I studied animals to create stuffed toys that are perfect r-r-replicas of the animal. I-I-I also observed birds and their eggs to make a toy that hatches…like an egg of a bird. One time, I-I-I went to different parts of the world to make diorama-type toys of different n-n-natural habitats found around the world.

Also, I created toys th-th-that use chemical reactions. I made a toy wherein you can create small orbs when you drop a liquid…into…another liquid. I-I-I also made k-k-kinetic sands that glow in the dark. My most favorite toy that I ever made was a teddy bear that can change color depending on how long you hug it. I really worked…hard…on it.

Other than that, I-I-I have also created toys that use simple machines and circuit boards. I have used a soldering iron before t-t-to make a toy for a baby. If they press a letter, the machine will play a nursery rhyme that starts with the letter that was on the button the baby pressed.

I-i-it was really hard to learn all of those things but I had to to make my toys. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing someone is enjoying what I have cr-c-created as much as I do."

Nao was touched by Eri's sentiment. He understood where she was coming from. To him, Eri was really innocent and does not deserve to be put in a situation like this._ Why did Monokuma have to include you with us? You should be out of here playing with other people and enjoying life to your heart's content._

After Eri finished talking, Nao immediately noticed Honey. "Did you make Honey?"

Eri looked at her. She hugged it tighter and put her chin on top of the stuffed toy's head. "No…He is a gift to be…cherished…" It was obvious to Nao that Honey had a special place in Eri's heart. He wanted to know who gave Eri her beloved toy but he thought it was not yet the best time to ask her about it.

After a few minutes, Takashiro came. With him were two bottles of water and two pieces of waffles from earlier wrapped in a paper towel. The two ate the snacks Takashiro brought for them. As he was eating, Nao looked at his tablet. It was almost time to start preparing lunch.

Nao stood up from where he was sitting, grabbed his jacket, and told the two he had to leave. He left and first went to his room. He took a quick shower and changed. After that, he went to the kitchen. He entered the kitchen. To his surprise, Umeko was not there yet. It was almost 11:00. He decided to start cooking. He was not an expert in cooking vegan but he knew a pasta recipe and a cookie recipe that were vegan. Because of that, he went with it. He decided to make a vegan spaghetti carbonara and peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.

He started making the pasta. After that, he started making the sauce for the pasta. Then, he began to boil the pasta. As he was waiting for the main course to finish cooking, he began to make the dough for his cookies. It was simple and did not take long for him to put in the oven.

As he was waiting for everything to get cooked, Umeko came in with Hana. Umeko quickly rushed in then stopped when he noticed Nao was already cooking something on the stove. Nao smiled at Umeko and waved at her.

"I am sorry! I lost track of time! What are you cooking?" Umeko asked.

"I am cooking spaghetti carbonara. In the oven are my peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies." Nao said.

"I guess I will start cooking for me and Rei." Umeko said as she quickly moved to look for a pan to cook in.

Nao stopped her by grabbing her hand. Umeko was surprised by Nao's hand and looked at him. "Relax! Everything is vegan."

"Oh…Thank you! Is there something else you need?" Umeko said.

"Nothing that I could think of really…" Nao answered.

The two were staring and smiling at each other. It was obvious they were closer to each other than with other people. It was only natural since they are together alone most of the time. However, unlike those previous times, they had someone with them. It was Hana who was mischievously smiling at the side.

She went to the two and lifted their hands that were still holding each other. He looked at the two who did not realize they were still holding each other's hand. She cleared her throat and said, "Still holding hands, are we?" The two looked at Hana and looked at their hands. They quickly let go of each other and became awkward.

"I am sorry!" Nao said.

Hana laughed loudly at the two. "You two looked like a couple from a rom-com or something!"

Umeko and Nao suddenly blushed red from embarrassment. "We are not a couple! We are just friends!" Umeko frantically said to Hana.

"Isn't that how couples from rom-com become couples? They are strangers that meet for some reason. Then, they became close friends. After being close friends, they grew to become closer friends. Suddenly, they stop calling each other friends and start referring the other one as their boyfriend or girlfriend." Hana continued to make fun of what happened.

_Why did it have to be Hana who came with Umeko?_

"Seriously, Nao looked like he was trying to impress you. A classic protag of a rom-com!" Umeko was getting redder as Hana continued talking. Nao could not say anything because he was flustered as well.

"You know, when I looked at the two of you, you really looked good together. A handsome man holding a gorgeous lady's hand. I want one as well!" Hana suddenly stormed off and shouted, "Ayumu! I need you, now!" After that, Hana left. _I hope she does not come back._

The two looked at each other waiting for one to react on what happened. Suddenly, the timer for the cookies went off. "I better get the cookies." Nao said.

"Sure…" Umeko was still affected by Hana's comments.

Nao knew he should say something about what happened to make both of their minds at ease. "Hana really loves to tease, doesn't she." He was in front of the oven grabbing the tray of cookies.

"Yes…" Umeko said as she stood by in front of the stove.

Nao put the cookies in a bowl as he continued talking to Umeko. "She will give meaning to everything even though it does not mean anything."

"Hana is such a tease!" Umeko said as she laughed.

After putting the cookies in a bowl, he went to Umeko and stood beside her. He reached out his hand with the bowl of cookies and looked at her. "Wanna try some? It might not be as delicious as your food but I think it is okay." Nao asked.

Umeko grabbed a cookie and took a bite. "Hmmm…It is delicious! Peanut butter is my favorite!"

Nao was happy it tasted good for Umeko. After that, Nao drained the pasta and put it in the sauce. He stirred it until everything was coated with the sauce. Umeko grabbed a bowl. Nao put the pasta in it. Then, they grabbed the dishes and utensils and put it on the serving trolley. They went to the cafeteria and set the table.

Hana was already there with Ayumu. Samuru was talking to Manon. It was probably about the security for tomorrow's party. Rei was in the corner silently looking at everyone. Norio slowly falling asleep as Kayle was talking to him. Jitsunori and Mako were alone together in a corner. Reyes was with Eri and Takashiro.

Everyone saw Nao and Umeko went out of the kitchen. They gathered at the table where they usually eat. Some waited for the food while others helped to make it quicker. Eventually, they started eating. It was filled light-hearted banters. Hana brought up what happened earlier. Everyone quickly made the two into a thing. People went along with the joke.

"One day, we will just hear Nao say that he wants everyone's help to impress Umeko with a date and everyone will agree to it." Nao almost choked on Hana's claim.

"Hihihihihi! Affected much?" Hana continued.

Lunch continued. Eventually, everyone was finished eating. Jitsunori and Mako volunteered to clear up the table and wash the dishes. "Thank you!" Umeko said. The two went into the kitchen to start washing the dishes. Nao was left at the table with Reyes and Umeko.

"Are you guys really a thing?" Reyes asked.

The two quickly denied. _This is Hana's fault._

"I see…It was all Hana's fault. You can't blame her though. You two have been together for quite a few times already." Reyes added.

"It is because of our duties." Nao said.

"I can't fight with that. But, I think there will be a couple soon." Reyes said.

Nao was quickly intrigued by Reyes' claim.

"Who?" Umeko asked.

"Jitsunori and Mako…" Reyes answered.

_Those two have been together most of the times as well._

"Why makes you say that?" Nao asked.

"Whenever I am with those two, I feel like I'm a third wheel." Reyes replied.

"That's all?" Nao commented.

"And Mako admitted to me that Jitsunori is their type." Reyes added.

Reyes stood up and said goodbye after saying that. "But I agree with Hana. You two look good together." Reyes then went away.

Nao and Umeko looked at each other and laughed at the thought. _We have only met each other for three days. Seriously, what is up with these people shipping us already!_

They stayed at the cafeteria and talked to each other. Some eyed them because of what Hana said. But it did not matter to them. They knew they were just friends enjoying a conversation with each other. The time passed and it was almost time for Umeko's rehearsals. The two made their way to classroom 1-B.

Inside the room was Asuka and Hana. They were already setting up. Asuka was plugging the speakers while Hana was sitting with a piece of equipment with numerous buttons on her lap.

Hana quickly noticed the two. "Hi, Umeko and Nao! What are you doing here, Nao?"

"I had nothing to do. Umeko said I could watch you practice." Nao said.

"What a supportive boyfriend! Oh wait, you are not her boyfriend…yet!" Hana laughed.

Asuka hit Hana on the head. "Focus on your fucking synthesizer!"

"I am, jeez!" Hana said.

"What is a synthesizer?" Nao asked.

Hana quickly raised the equipment. "This is a synthesizer." Hana smiled.

"It is used by musicians to create a variety of sounds. You can combine sounds to make loops and tracks using that." Umeko explained.

"Oh…Are you going to use that during the performance?" Nao asked.

"Yes!" Hana confidently answered.

"I think everything is set up." Asuka said.

"Sorry, I was not able to help." Umeko said.

"No worries!" Hana said. She was about to say something when Asuka steps onto her foot.

"Shut it!" Asuka said.

Nao took a chair and sat down. The three were ready and started to practice. It sounded amazing. Even though there weren't any drums, Nao could hear the strong beats. It was fast-paced and the melody was rich. Umeko's vocals were amazing. She could hit high and low notes. Asuka was shredding on the guitar. Suddenly, Umeko started to rap.

_She can rap?_

It had a smooth flow and Nao could understand every word she was saying. It was a rap about how powerful she was.

"Never had a boy who took me home

But had money for a plane to Rome

Not nouveau riche, got money to spend

Part of the crowd, setting the trends

I love people chanting loud my name

I will always sing about my fame

The only person to slay with Louboutins

Have cold cash in my Louis Vuitton

Making the best hits

I believe if it ain't Gucci, it ain't good shit

People are going loco

For Hana, Roxanne, and Umeko

Let's go!"

After that, the song becomes electrifying. Then, the song ended. Nao clapped his hands slowly.

"You can rap?" Nao asked.

"You did not know?" Umeko asked back.

Asuka then butted in. "Oh right, Nao did not have a fucking clue about your songs."

"Wait, what?" Hana said.

"I think I heard some of your songs but I never heard of you or your group before." Nao defended himself.

"How?" Hana said.

"Anyway, it was amazing! I cannot wait to see you perform that song on stage. Who made that song?" Nao said.

"It was all thanks to me!" Hana claimed. Nao did not want to believe it but he remembered her talent.

"You are the 'Ultimate Composer' after all." Nao said.

"Making hit songs is nothing new to me. Hahahahaha!" Hana arrogantly claimed.

"All of your songs have always hit the top 10 of Billboard 100." Asuka said.

"That is quite an accomplishment!" Nao said.

"It was nothing! To me, it was just child's play. Hahahahaha!" Hana joked.

"Anyway, shouldn't we get back to rehearsing? We have eleven more songs to practice." Umeko said.

"Eleven?" Nao asked.

_Are they planning to do a concert?_

"We are going to play eleven original songs. And, each one of us will perform one of our old songs." Umeko explained.

"Even you Hana?" Nao asked.

"I will just play an EDM and make people dance 'til their heart's out. It is going to be fun!" Hana said.

After that, Nao continued to watch the girls rehearse. They were full of life. It was obvious they have done this before. _I wish I could have seen one of their concerts before. It might have been a blast just like now. It is such a shame I will be only able to watch them truly perform in my last hours. _The group tweaked some things. In the end, they were satisfied with how things came together.

The girls were exhausted. They were hungry and wanted to sleep. Because of that, Nao told Umeko and Asuka that he will be the one cooking for dinner. Umeko tried to protest but she did not win. Nao did not let her. "You should take some rest. Tomorrow will be hectic for you." Nao said.

The four went to the cafeteria. The three girls joined the people who were already there. Before Nao left to the kitchen, he asked for a recipe for an easy vegan meal to make. Umeko instructed him to make sandwiches using the vegan bread in the pantry. After learning the recipe, he was off to the kitchen. He saw potatoes and New York strip steaks were available. Because of that, he decided to cook steak-frites. It was tedious since cooking the piece of meat was hard but it was worth it. The end products looked delicious.

He made fourteen plates of steak-frites. As soon as he walked with the dishes, everyone's jaw dropped. "Meat!" Ayumu shouted! Everyone quickly grabbed a plate and ate. As they ate, each committee reported their progress.

"The gymnasium is fixed!" Jitsunori said.

"Th-th-the disco balls are done. We just need to hang it." Eri reported.

"The entertainment committee is fucking ready to give y'all a concert!" Asuka shouted.

"The security team is ready." Samuru said.

"The menu is already finalized." Nao said next.

"The central committee will help the other committees will help as much as we can." Kayle added.

After that, everyone quickly finished their meals. This time, Kayle and Reyes volunteered to wash the dishes. Nao was happy about that. He said goodbyes to everyone and went straight to his room. He brushed his teeth and changed his clothes. As he walked towards his bed, he closed all of the lights except his lamp. Then he lied down.

_Tomorrow is the big day…_

_I guess tomorrow's my last day…_

The thought sank in. He realized tomorrow will be his last. He stared on the ceiling. Suddenly, a tear flowed down to his cheeks.

_I wish I could just talk to my father if tomorrow is my last day…_

_I never thought it would end like this for me…_

_Nobody deserves to die…_

_Why did it have to be us…_

_If I have met them in another way, I am sure we would all get along the way we are right now…_

_They are great people who have a long future ahead of them, unlike me…_

_I hope a miracle happens tomorrow…_

_I just hope something happens…_

Nao was deep in thoughts about the event for tomorrow. He was anxious and excited. Everything was confusing for him. It was a celebration and, at the same time, a countdown to his death. He hoped someone will save; that a miracle will happen. Just maybe, it was all just a joke.

Eventually, Nao fell asleep with his cheeks wet with tears.

* * *

**Hi guys! That was the chapter! I hope you guys had fun reading it!**

**I want to hear your thoughts on the story so far. The first murder is right around the corner. Who do you think will be killed first? I will have a poll on my profile for you guys to vote.**

**Anyway, if you want to talk about this story and other stuff, I have a discord server for this. To join, use the invite link on my profile. If you are having problems with it, PM me so we can resolve the issue.**

**I am so excited for the next chapter! Hahahahaha!**

**That is it for now, thank you for reading!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	12. Who Killed The Disco Star? 4

**This is it guys! I hope you are ready for this! Hihihihihihihi!**

**I am so excited for you guys to read this!**

* * *

The day of the party has come. It was early in the morning. People who usually woke up early has already risen from the comforts of their bed and prepared themselves for the long day ahead. However, for Nao, it was a totally different reason.

Nao woke up two hours before Monokuma would sound the morning announcement. He woke up realizing he has cried himself to sleep. As he rose from the bed, he saw remnants of his tears on his pillow. Because of that, it quickly reminded him of what was waiting for him today. The fear and sadness quickly came back to him. _Today is my last day, huh? _

After that, Nao tried to go back to sleep. However, the intense emotions and haunting thoughts he had would not let him sleep at peace. Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could think is how Monokuma might impale everyone with his spears. Bothered, he decided to give up on sleeping and to start preparing for the day.

He took a long steamy shower unaware of the time. He was deep in his thoughts as water trickled over him. After that, he brushed his teeth, styled his hair, and wore his clothes. After changing, he grabbed his tablet and walked out of his room.

Nao thought of going to the cafeteria and wait for Umeko to come. As soon as he arrived, he saw the time. It was already 5:47 am. _Did I really take that long to get ready? I must be really deep in thoughts. _After realizing he took a long time to prepare, he quickly went straight to the kitchen.

Unsurprised, he saw Umeko who was sitting on one of the tabletops. She was looking at her tablet swiping left and right. _What is she reading? _Nao approached her. "Hi!" After that, Nao sat on the right side of Umeko and looked at what she was reading. She was looking at the profiles of everyone.

"What are you looking at?" Nao asked.

"Everyone's profile…" Umeko answered.

She stopped looking at the profile and looked at Nao. Then, she leaned on Nao's shoulder.

"Are you excited about the party?" Umeko asked. Although, she had no energy unlike how she was in previous days.

"I don't know? What about you? Are you excited?" Nao monotonously asked Umeko.

After his question, silence filled the air. It was obvious Umeko is deeply affected by the party. Nao looked at Umeko while she was still leaning on him. At the exact moment, Umeko looked at him in the eyes.

"I'm scared…" As soon as she quaveringly admitted, tears came rushing down on her cheeks. Nao quickly hugged her and let her cry on his chest for as long as she needed to. "I'm sorry…" Umeko continued to cry. Nao tried to comfort her by caressing her hair.

After a few minutes, Umeko calmed down. She looked at Nao as she wiped her tears off. "Thank you for listening…" Nao let go off her as she tried to compose herself.

Nao put his right palm on his shirt. It was wet with Umeko's tears. _How long has she been holding in her tears? _Umeko saw him putting his hand on where she cried.

"Sorry! I cried so much on you!" Umeko remarked.

"It's alright. It is just a wet shirt, nothing to worry about." Nao said.

Nao knew if he does not open up a new topic, the atmosphere in the kitchen will just drain him off of energy. He looked at the kitchen and saw pots were already on the stove. _Did she already finish cooking?_

"What are we going to cook for breakfast?" Nao asked.

"Don't worry about it. I am already done with it. All we have to do is reheat it later." Umeko answered.

After that, Umeko got off of the tabletops and stood near Nao. "I am going to start cleaning the kitchen. Would you help me?" Umeko asked.

Nao quickly stood up and started with cleaning the kitchen. They were quite unlike the previous times they were together. The two did the task silently. Nobody said anything or commented about anything. Although, the silence was not awkward. They both knew no one had the energy to talk as if everything was fine. So, they both gave each other some space to think about what will happen after the party.

After a few minutes, the two finished cleaning the kitchen. Then, Monokuma sounded his morning announcement. "Good morning chumps! What a great day for a party, am I right? Hahahahahaha!"

"I hate his laugh." Umeko commented.

"I hate his voice." Nao added. Umeko giggled at Nao's comment. Then, Umeko tried to mock Monokuma's voice. She was not able to completely mimic Monokuma's voice but her attempt was hilarious. Nao could not help but laugh at Umeko.

"His voice is so hard to mimic!" Umeko commented after mocking Monokuma.

"His voice sounds like it came from an adult baby." Nao comments did not make sense but Umeko understood what he meant. She laughed thinking about it.

"Imagine the person who gave Monokuma his voice. I could not imagine anyone willing to record their voice for something like Monokuma." Umeko said.

After laughing with Umeko, Nao told her he was going out to see if anyone was already awake and ready to eat. As soon as he walked out, he saw Hana and Ayumu sitting at the table where the group usually eat at. Hana was holding a piece of paper.

Nao was surprised to see them since they were not usually the first ones to wake up. He approached the two to see what they were up to.

"Hello!" Hana greeted Nao as soon as she noticed him.

"Hello there, mortal!" Ayumu added.

"Hi! What are you two up to?" Nao asked.

"We woke up early to do the inventory checking of the weapons. This was yesterday's report by Roxanne and Samuru." Hana said.

Nao looked at the paper. Every dangerous tool present in the school were listed. Beside the name of the tools was its quantity. _That is how they did their inventory, interesting…_

"How did it go?" Nao asked.

"We did not find anything to worry about. No weapon or poison has gone missing." Ayumu answered.

_That was relieving to hear. _"How early did you do your rounds?" Nao asked.

"I think we started at 5:00 am." Hana answered.

"Wow! You woke up way earlier than you normally would do." Nao commented.

"We did. We wanted to help the group as much as we can." Ayumu answered.

After that, Nao left the two and went back into the kitchen. He told Umeko there were already people waiting for breakfast. Quickly, Umeko turned on the stove to reheat the food. It took Nao a second to realize he did not know what Umeko prepared.

"By the way, what did you cook?" Nao asked.

"I made congee." Umeko answered.

"That sounds amazing." Nao said. After that, Nao gathered up bowls, spoons, and glasses for the group to use. Nao handed Umeko a big bowl for Umeko to fill it up with congee. Then, Nao made mixed berry smoothies for everyone. After a few minutes, the congee was ready. Umeko filled the big bowl. Using the serving trolley, the two carried the utensils and the dishes into the cafeteria.

There, the two saw people have already gathered. Other than Ayumu and Hana, Samuru was already seated at the table. Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, and Reyes were chatting on a separate table. Eri and Takashiro were playing with each other. Manon was alone in a corner with the first aid kit.

Everyone saw Nao and Umeko walk out of the kitchen with their breakfast. Quickly, all of them gathered to the table they normally would eat together. There, they waited for the food to be served to them. After that, the group started to eat.

At first, it was quiet. No one would dare bring up a subject. It was clear that everyone wanted to avoid talking about the party. _This is awkward… _Nao could not take the silence any longer so he decided to break it.

"Eri, are you done with your disco ball?" Nao asked.

Eri was surprised by his question. "Y-y-yes…" Eri did not continue to speak.

The room fell into silence again. Luckily, Samuru decided to start talking. "Kayle, Manon, Ayumu, Reyes, we will be using walkie talkies later. I found some in the storage room yesterday." Samuru said.

"Why?" Manon asked.

"With the performances ongoing, it would be hard to communicate. It would be easier if we have some sort of communication device to alert each other." Samuru answered.

"It would be great to have walkie talkies especially for us Ayumu since we will be stationed far from the party. We need to be updated on what was happening during the party." Kayle added.

After that, the group went back to silence. They ate their meals and finished quickly. Everyone went on their separate ways. Nao and Umeko stayed to clear the table and wash the dishes. The two talked to each other like they would before. However, it was obvious they were just forcing it. Although, it did not bother Nao. To him, it was better than staying silent with someone you normally get along with.

As he was talking with Umeko, he became curious if Umeko was alright. _After breaking down, I am sure she is still not okay. I hope she takes some time today to take it slow and not force herself to do things for others._

Then, Nao asked Umeko what her plans for today were.

"I will be making lunch. Then, I will practice with the girls for one last time. After that, I will start preparing the food for the party. Other than that, I do not have any plan. Why do you ask?" Umeko answered.

"Nothing really. I thought you might want to join me wandering around the building." Nao asked.

Umeko stopped for a moment then replied, "Why would you want me to join you?"

"It is lonely when I wander around alone. I thought I might ask you to come with me so that I have someone to talk to." Nao replied.

"Okay!" Umeko.

"Okay, what?" Nao asked.

"I will join you." Umeko answered.

After that, they finished washing the dishes. Then, they started to wander around. They first went to classroom 1-A. There, they saw Jirou listening to Kayle. Jirou was annoyed at them for interrupting while Kayle smiled at them.

"Hi!" Kayle greeted them with a big smile.

"What are you two doing here?" Jirou asked the two angrily.

"Nothing really. We are just looking for something to do." Nao answered.

"Would you two like to join us?" Kayle invited the two.

It was obvious did not want them there. Jirou rolled his eyes and averted his gaze. However, this did not affect the two to change their mind in staying. The two took a seat and started listening to Kayle's lesson.

Kayle was talking about different speaking strategies. According to her, there were four. The first one was called positive politeness strategy. She said it is used for recognition of the desire to be respected. She used an example to further clarify it.

"Jirou, is it alright if they join this class?" Kayle asked.

She quickly followed it up with the next strategy. It was called negative politeness strategy. It was nearly the same as the first one. However, the difference between the two was this strategy assumes imposition.

"I do not want to bother you Jirou but could the two join this class?" Kayle added.

Then, she continued with the bald-on record strategy. When using the strategy, no effort was done to make sure it would not be offensive to the hearer.

"Jirou, Nao and Umeko will join the class." Kayle demanded.

Lastly, she taught the three the off-record strategy. It utilizes indirect language and makes the speaker not imposing.

"It would be really nice if Nao and Umeko would join the class, right Jirou?" Kayle asked.

It was informative. Nao was amazed as to how easy Kayle taught it to all of them. He now wondered if she taught the prime minister this easily. _She must be a great asset to the prime minister if she teaches him like this. She was fast but concise._

Nao looked at Jirou who was really determined to get everything was truly dedicated to his goal. _He is still trying to aim to become the 'Ultimate Scholar' even though it is futile. I wish I have that kind of goal and determination._ Jirou asked Kayle to hear him if got everything correct. To no one's surprise, he was able to master it.

After that, Umeko kicked Nao. Nao looked at her. Umeko mouthed "I'm bored…" Nao understood. He raised his hands and told Kayle they were leaving. Kayle said goodbye while Jirou let out a sigh of relief.

As soon as they walked out of the room, Umeko quickly asked Nao, "Why was Kayle teaching Jirou those things?"

"He asked for her help. He told me that he wanted to be the 'Ultimate Scholar'. That naturally meant he has to master everything academic-related." Nao answered.

"Why?" Umeko continued asking.

"I don't know as well." Nao answered. He was as curious as Umeko. He wanted to know what made him make it his goal. To Nao, he already achieved so much. _What more does he have to prove? _

After that, the two continued to roam around the building. Nothing significant happened. They passed by people doing things. Manon was in classroom 1-B with Asuka. On the other hand, Kayle was in the clinic looking for her.

"She is in classroom 1-B." Nao said to her.

"Oh, really? Thanks for that!" Kayle said.

The two immediately left the Kayle and went on with their wandering. They saw Samuru and Reyes talking to each other in the front lobby. They were calmly talking to each other when Reyes suddenly drew her epee. Samuru suddenly went into what Nao could only describe as a battle stance. The two were standing still when Reyes charged into Samuru.

Nao and Umeko were worried about what was happening. _Why are they fighting? That is not what we need right now! They need to stop, now!_ Nao was thinking of a way to stop them when Umeko suddenly ran to the two. Nao was surprised by this and could not stop Umeko.

"Please stop!" Umeko shouted.

However, the two did not stop. They did not hear Umeko's cry. All they could hear were the slashes and clinks of their weapons. Quickly, Nao went to get Umeko. Suddenly, Umeko decided to jump in the middle of the fight._ What is she doing? Is she nuts? _

Umeko went in the middle of the two. She opened her arms, looked at Samuru, and closed her eyes. "Please stop!"

Reyes almost pierced Umeko's back while Samuru almost chopped her head off. Luckily, the two had great reflexes and was able to stop immediately. The two lowered their weapons. Reyes and Samuru could not say a word.

"What were you thinking? Are you hurt?" Nao quickly went to Umeko when the two stopped.

He put his hands on her shoulder and looked at her. Umeko was blankly staring at him. All she could do was nod. Nao looked at the two. "Why were you guys fighting?"

"We were practicing for tonight." Samuru answered.

"We wanted to be ready for anything like someone going berserk." Reyes added.

_That…kind of make sense. _Umeko grew pale from realizing she did not need to stop the two. "I am sorry! I overreacted!" Umeko apologized and bowed her head.

"It was alright! It is good to know someone as selfless and brave as you will be present tonight." Samuru complemented Umeko.

After that, Nao told the two to continue preparing. "Again, sorry for bothering you! We are gonna go…" Nao helped Umeko walk away from that. Umeko was still speechless from what she did.

"That was embarrassing!" Umeko told herself as they continued to walk.

"I don't think it was embarrassing." Nao told Umeko while he was looking at their path.

Umeko looked at him. "Why?"

"I thought it was brave of you to put your life on the line. I could have never done what you just did." Nao answered.

Umeko blushed from Nao's complement. The two continued to talk to each other as they walked aimlessly. Their topics ranged from their favorite color to their favorite place to go.

"I love going to lakes." Umeko said.

"Why?" Nao asked.

"The views are amazing. The way the breeze hits your face feels good. You could hear the birds chirping. The water is cool and clean. It is a great place to swim. I don't know…I just love lakes." Umeko laughed.

"What about you? What is your favorite place to hang out in?" Umeko asked.

Nao smiled and looked at Umeko. "I do not think I have one."

"You do not have one?" Umeko asked as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah…Whenever I do not go to school, I go to any place I could think of. I go to arcades, malls, museums, libraries." Nao answered.

"All alone?" Umeko asked.

"Yes…" Nao answered.

"That sounds lonely." Umeko said.

"Sometimes, it does feel lonely. But, I got used to it." Nao added.

"When you get out of here, what is the first place you are going to except for your house?" Umeko asked.

"I could not really think of any place." Nao answered.

"None? Really? Come on, just tell me." Umeko persistently pushed Nao to give her an answer.

Nao could only think of one place. "…The park."

"A park? Why?" Umeko asked.

"I love it when I see kids playing in the dirt without any care in the world—"

"Pedo alert!" Umeko joking cut him off.

"It is not like that!" Nao said as he laughed at Umeko's comment.

Nao continued. "I love looking at couples laughing and making fun of each other. Some would fight. But in the end, they would cuddle together as if nothing happened. I love seeing old couples holding each other's hands saying nothing but you could feel they are still in love with each other by just seeing how they look at one another. I love seeing dads teaching their kids how to ride a bike. I love children telling their parents to buy them a snack." Nao stopped speaking. He did not realize he was smiling as he was telling what he loved about that place.

Umeko could not help but listen and just look at Nao as he spoke passionately about the park. "This is the first time I saw this side of you." Umeko said.

Nao looked at her. "What side do I always show?"

"The side that only goes with the flow." Umeko answered.

"Is there something wrong with that side of mine?" Nao asked.

"None at all…I like your company no matter what side you show me." Umeko smiled at Nao.

"Thanks…" Nao could not think anything to say other than that.

"When we get out of here, let's not stop hanging around! Come with me to a lake and I will come with you to the park you love!" Umeko made a deal. She reached out her right hand. Nao grabbed her hand and shook it.

"I could not wait for that!" Nao remarked.

The two continued to walk. After a few moments, they found themselves in the storage room with Eri and Takashiro. Eri was on top of the new disco ball. Takashiro, like yesterday, was holding the ball in place. Eri was tying a rope on a hook the disco ball had on top. When she was finished, she jumped off the disco ball.

"We are officially finished!" Takashiro shouted in joy.

Eri smiled as the two celebrated. Nao and Umeko approached the two. "Congratulations!" Umeko said.

"Th-th-thank you!" Eri said.

"What else can we do to help?" Umeko asked.

"Nothing really. All we have to do is lower the ball." Takashiro answered.

Takashiro held the end of the rope. In a count of three, Eri opened the secret door. Slowly, Takashiro lowered the ball. After being satisfied with the placement of the ball, Takashiro tied the rope on one of the hoops protruding out of the wall.

"Finally, we could rest before the party!" Takashiro claimed.

"You should!" Umeko told the two. Umeko looked at her tablet and saw that it was almost 11:00 am.

"I think we should all go back to the cafeteria. Lunch is near." Umeko said.

The four were about to leave the room when Nao saw the ladder. "Shouldn't we set this ladder aside before we leave?" Nao asked.

"Sure but I am already quite tired from all the work today…" Takashiro said.

"Don't worry. I can do it alone." Nao said. He quickly went to the ladder to put it aside. He was able to do it easily. _I did not expect that. It is lighter than it looked. _After that, the group went to the cafeteria. People were already gathered.

Seeing the people, Nao and Umeko rushed to the kitchen. Asuka was already there but did not know what to cook. Umeko instructed the two of the menu. They were going to cook burgers and fries with a strawberry milkshake. For Rei and Umeko, they will make the burger and milkshake vegan. Asuka was in charge of the fries. Umeko took over the burger. The strawberry milkshake was left for Nao to handle. The three were able to prepare food quickly. Once done, Nao plated the burger and fries. As soon as everything was ready, they went to the cafeteria and served their food.

"Burgers and fries! Fries!" Takashiro shouted.

"Is that strawberry milkshake?" Hana asked.

The three quickly handed out everyone's portion. As soon as everyone was served, everyone started to eat. Eventually, everyone was done. The group separated and continued preparing for the party. As usual, Nao and Umeko were left to do the dishes. They continued talking like when they were walking earlier. It was friendly and light-hearted. Seeing this, Hana teased the two. However, the two did not care if Hana was teasing them. They were just enjoying their conversation.

The night came. It was only two hours and thirty minutes before the party started. Nao was in the kitchen with Asuka, Jirou, and Umeko. The four were discussing what each person will do. They already knew what the menu was. The only thing left was the distribution of labor.

"I will take charge of the vegetables. Asuka and Jirou, work together on the meats. Asuka, you prepare the buffalo wings and the rotisserie chicken while Jirou will do the meat for the tacos and kebabs. Nao, you will be doing desserts. Are there any questions?" Umeko asked.

Nobody asked. They were sure of what to do. The four quickly started with their jobs. The menu consisted of chicken rotisserie sandwiches, buffalo wings, pork tacos, beef kebabs, corn on the cob, spring rolls, brownies, cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies.

Each person used a tabletop for making their dishes. Jirou and Asuka were quietly doing their tasks while Nao and Umeko talked to each other. Their stations were near each other making it easier for them to talk to each other.

"How are you doing?" Nao asked.

"Nervous about the performance…" Umeko answered.

"Why?" Nao asked. _She was great in the rehearsals. She should not worry too much about her performance._

"I want everyone to be entertained. I hope I will be able to do that later." Umeko added.

"You should not worry about it that much. You will do great!" Nao said.

Asuka could not help but overhear everything. She decided to tell Umeko what she thought. "Relax! You are a fucking performer! You will kill it later onstage. Do not fucking psyche yourself up!" Asuka said.

"Roxanne is right. Plus, I saw your rehearsals. It was great! If you do what you did yesterday, there is no question in my mind that you will do well later." Nao said.

The three continued talking as they cooked their dishes. One by one, every food was cooked. Umeko was first to finish cooking. Next was Asuka who ate already some of the buffalo wings.

"Why are you eating already?" Jirou asked Asuka.

"I wanted to know if it is okay already!" Asuka answered as she ate her third buffalo wing. Umeko could not help but giggle at the sight of Asuka eating.

"Do what you think is best for your food…" Umeko remarked.

"Definitely!" Asuka said.

The next person to finish cooking was Nao. He took out all of his baked goods out of the oven one by one. The smell was amazing. He let his cupcakes to cool down. Then, he piped the frostings on top of the cupcake like roses.

"Those look beautiful!" Asuka remarked.

"Thank you!" Nao said to Asuka.

"It is too fucking beautiful to eat!" Asuka added.

Nao laughed at Asuka's comment. _It is just piped frosting. There is no need to make it into a huge thing._

Lastly, Jirou was finished cooking his kebabs and tacos. After putting all the kebabs and tacos in trays, Jirou left the group. "Bye…" _Even in his last hours, he will still pick to distance himself from the group. _The three could not do anything but let him be.

The three put all the foods on the serving trolley. With the trolley, the three went to the gymnasium. The gymnasium was decorated with gold and silver fabrics. There was a disco floor at the center of the gymnasium. The disco ball was turning by itself reflecting lights. Near the entrance was a table dedicated for the food to be put on.

The three quickly helped in putting the food on the table. After they were done, Asuka and Umeko bid Nao farewell. The two were to meet up with Hana to practice one last time before going on stage. Nao was left alone. He sat on a chair behind the table. He was the only one in the gymnasium.

He was deep in thoughts. He was thinking of how everything will go down after the party. _Will Monokuma rain spears on us? How will he execute all of us at the same time? I am scared. Why am I even thinking of this?_

As he was thinking, the door suddenly opened. Jitsunori has arrived. Jitsunori noticed Nao all alone. "Hi! Why are you all alone?" Jitsunori asked.

"I do not really know why. I guess I am just waiting for the party to get started." Nao answered.

"Well, we still have one hour to wait for the party to start." Jitsunori said.

"Yeah…" Nao said. It was awkward. It was nao's first time to be alone with Jitsunori. Usually, Jitsunori was always with Kayle, Mako, or Reyes. _This is possibly my last chance of getting to know Jitsunori. I might as well use this._

"We have never been alone together, haven't we?" Nao started.

"Now that you mentioned it, we have never talked to each other one on one." Jitsunori agreed.

"Yeah, you are always with Mako." Nao said.

"And you are always with Umeko." Jitsunori opened.

"Umeko and I are just friends. What about you two?" Nao asked.

"I think we are just friends. Honestly, I do not really know what we are." Jitsunori said.

"How? To us, it is so obvious you two have something going on between each other." Nao replied.

"I have never really dated anyone before. I have always been too busy with my salon and my family." Jitsunori said.

_I can use that to know you more._

"You have a salon?" Nao asked.

"I do! It is actually quite an interesting story." Jitsunori said.

"I would love to hear how you got your salon." Nao said.

"Okay then. Let's start with my previous job. I was basically a barber in a salon at first. I was just cutting hair with no care at all. When the customer tells me to cut it a certain way, I will do it no matter what the end result would be. To me, I was just cutting hair.

As time passed by, I grew fascinated in styling people's hair. I would watch my co-workers dye other people's hair. To me, it looked interesting. I would talk to my co-workers and asked what techniques they used for styling. Slowly I learned to style people's hair.

Because my skill improved, I became a full-time worker as a hairstylist. I would style people's hair. Eventually, I got loyal customers because of my service. I always gave everything I have when it comes to hairstyling. Because of my service, my loyal customers would tell their friends about me. I gained quite a following because of them to the point my co-workers did not have any more customers willing to let their hair be styled by them.

Because of this, I received a lot of animosity in my workplace. They gave me snide looks and comments every time one of their old customers would request me to style their hair. Eventually, it got out of hand that my boss gave me a check to build my own salon. I was sad that I had to leave since I really loved that place and at the same time happy since I have my own salon.

At first, running the salon was hard. I only hired a small team. My family would help me out in running things. However, it did not take long for my business to skyrocket. It was really quite a journey ever since." Jitsunori said.

_Jitsunori is a hard worker. When he puts his mind to it, he gets the job done. Not many can do that especially with what Jitsunori experienced. Imagine loving something you do while other people hate you for doing it. Certainly, I would not survive his previous co-workers' treatment. It might even stop me from doing what I love._

Hearing Jitsunori's story changed Nao's view of him. When he first met him, he thought he was pretending to be nice. Now hearing his story, he thought he might have misjudged him.

The two continued to talk to each other. Jitsunori specifically wanted to talk about Mako. Nao listened to him thinking it might be what he needed right now. Clueless about love, Nao thought that shutting up was the best way to help him. He feared he might give Jitsunori some dumb advice.

Though, he had to admit that he loved hearing how Jitsunori would talk about Mako and what they have done this past few days. It made him realize that not everything about being stuck in this building was bad. If it was the case, Jitsunori and Mako would not feel something for each other. However, he does think it sucks to be in Jitsunori and Mako's situation. _You finally have met the love of your life only to find out you can only stay with each other alive in just three days. _

After pouring out everything, Jitsunori decided to stop and went backstage where Umeko and the other ladies were preparing. Again, Nao was alone. However, this quickly changed. All of the security team quickly came. Nao looked at their direction.

_They look like power rangers before the transformation. _Nao could not help but look at them like that. They emitted confidence. Samuru was in the middle leading them. As they reached the disco floor, they huddled up for one last time. To Nao, they looked like they were talking seriously. No one was smiling. They knew their duty was very important. _I know I can trust them when anything happens to me._

The security team split up. Kayle went to backstage. Manon sat on the bleachers leaning on one of the railings. With her was her first aid kit. Samuru stood near the bleachers while Reyes stood near the entrance. On the other hand, Ayumu sat on the chair beside Nao. Nao was surprised by this move.

"Hello! Do not fear mortal for I will stay here only for a short while to feast on some of these culinary masterpieces." Ayumu said.

Nao could not take him seriously. His choices of words and forced low voice made it funny for Nao to hear. However, he did not let Ayumu see it. Instead, he just smiled and let him be.

"I think you should eat desserts. It is a good source of carbohydrates! Carbohydrates are a human's source of energy." Nao gave him the bowl of cookies. Ayumu quickly grabbed a handful and devoured everything quickly. At some point, he looked like he was going to choke from eating too fast.

"Easy there! How will you be able to protect us if you choke to death right now." Nao joked.

Ayumu coughed and continued eating away. "These are delicious cookies! Who made these?" Ayumu asked.

"I did…" Nao answered.

"Will you save some for me after the party?" Ayumu asked.

"Sure…" Nao answered.

After that, Ayumu walked out of the door to start his duty. As soon as he walked out, people started to come to the gymnasium. Mako arrived with Eri and Takashiro. Takashiro was laughing with Mako while Eri was silently looking at the two. _I guess she is still shy to some people. _After the three were Norio and Rei. Norio did not care for the party and quickly sat on the bleacher near Manon. Rei was shaking, as always, and scurried to the table of food where Nao was sitting.

"Are you alright?" Nao asked.

Rei only stared at him with fear in her eyes. She has always been scared but Nao never saw her like this. Ever since the day he saw Rei with the notebook, he never saw Rei without it. _What is up with that huge notebook? _Knowing that Rei was always scared, he shrugged off her existence and continued looking at the party.

Later, Jirou arrived. Like always, he looked like he hated the world. Averting everyone's gaze, he sat on a bleacher where Manon and Norio were not sitting at. _Why does he have to look like he is angry? It is a party! I wish he would relax for a bit just for this event._

After Jirou arrived, Nao noticed Reyes open the door a bit. Through the small space, he saw Ayumu talking to Reyes. Reyes gave him a thumbs up and closed the door.

Nao looked at his tablet. It was already 9:28 pm. _Two more minutes before the party and two hours and thirty-two minutes left before Monokuma executes us all… _There was nothing left to do. Nao only waited for the party to start. He looked one last time at everyone. _I can't believe my final moments will be with these people. _

Not too long, the party finally started. Kayle walked on to the stage with a microphone.

"Hello everyone!" Kayle shouted.

"Hi!" Some answered in unison while others were quiet.

"The time is 9:30 pm! You know what that means! Let's start this party! Woooh!" Kayle shouted with joy.

The audience was lacking energy until Mako gathered everyone at the center of the disco floor. Mako literally dragged Norio to stand on the disco floor. Rei was frightened by Mako. She quickly ran to the stage when she saw Mako was coming for her. Jirou went on the disco floor because he wanted Mako to shut up. Mako tried to convince him and would not shut up until he walked to the dance floor. However, the only person he failed to convince was Nao.

"Come on!" Mako said.

"Someone needs to guard this food. You never know, someone might poison everything here." Nao reasoned his way out. Mako could not do anything but yield. The lifeguard walked back to the disco floor and readied himself for the party.

After a few seconds, Asuka, Hana, and Umeko walked out on stage. Umeko was carrying a microphone. Asuka was carrying her guitar while Hana dragged a keyboard with a synthesizer on it on stage. After setting up everything, Umeko started to greet everyone.

"Hello!" Umeko greeted.

"Hi!" The audience greeted her back.

"I am Umeko Midori, the Ultimate Environmentalist and member of Pink Punk! To my right is Roxanne Mercury, the Ultimate Rocker! And to my left is Hana Ongaku, the Ultimate Composer! And together, we are Rose's Thorns! Hit it!"

Suddenly, the room was filled with music. It started of with Asuka's otherworldly guitar riffs. Then, percussions came in. It was fast paced and energetic. Then, it became silent. Umeko started to sing. Umeko's voice was serene and pure. It was clear. The melody started to creep in. After a few moments, the percussions and Asuka's guitar riff came back. The intensity of Umeko's voice changed to match the music. It was beautiful to hear. After that, the song ended.

"Did you like that?" Umeko asked the crowd.

"Woooh!" Mako shouted.

"I will take that as a yes!" Umeko quickly signaled to the other ladies to start the next song. Just like the previous song, it was amazing.

_What did I expect? Those three have been practicing for almost three days. Of course, they will perform this well. _Nao was truly amazed by the performance. It was not just him who was amazed. Reyes, who was standing near him, could not help but comment.

"This is the best performance I have ever seen in my life." Reyes commented.

"For that comment to come from a royalty like you must mean they are really doing a great job." Nao told Reyes.

"You do not need to be a royalty to realize this performance is one of the best, if not the best, performances ever done in the world." Reyes said.

"It is such a shame only twelve of us can watch this." Nao added.

The women continued to perform all of their original songs. Nao noticed Norio going back to the bleachers. There, Norio lied down and quickly fell asleep. _He does not give a damn about this. He is going to miss out on a great performance. _Near him was Manon who was looking at everyone staying alert for anything.

After singing all of their original songs for almost an hour and a half, Asuka stayed onstage to play one of her songs. It was electrifying. Her guitar riffs were unbelievable. During the last part of her song, she started to play her guitar with her teeth.

"Go Asuka! Woooh!" Mako shouted.

Everyone was going wild for her performance. In the end, she did a classic rocker move of smashing her guitar to pieces. "This is my last performance so fuck it!" She shouted. Then, she jumped off the stage like a rock star.

The next person to come out on stage was Umeko. "Hello! I will be singing my song titled 'Single'!" Quickly, the song kicked in. It had a soothing melody. It was eerily familiar to Nao. _I think I know this, for some reason. _Umeko started to sing. Immediately, Nao recognized the song.

"Love is not for me, myself, and I…" Nao unknowingly sang along with Umeko. He looked at the food as he hummed and continued to sing. His voice was so soft only people near him could hear him. After Umeko finished singing, he took a cookie and ate it. Bewildered by knowing the song, he lost focus on what was happening onstage.

Suddenly, Reyes shouted, "Nao can sing!" Nao looked at her in confusion. _What is happening?_

"Don't give me that look! You were fully singing her song earlier. And, you have a great voice." Reyes dragged him out of his chair and pushed him onto the disco floor. There, he saw Umeko standing at the center of the stage.

"Thank you for volunteering, Nao!" Umeko told him as he gave him a microphone.

"What is happening?" Nao asked her. Umeko did not answer him and only giggled at his response.

"Do you know 'You're Still The One' by Shania Twain?" Umeko asked.

Nao nodded without knowing what will happen to him.

"Good! Follow my lead." Umeko told him.

Suddenly, the music for "You're Still The One" played.

_What is happening?_

"Looks like we made it. Look how far we've come, my baby…" Umeko started singing.

_What is happening?_

"…We're still together, still going strong…" Umeko then signaled Nao to join the chorus. Frazzled, Nao just started to sing as well with Umeko.

"You're still the one I run to; the one that I belong to. You're still the one I want for life…" The two sang together. People were surprised by his voice. It was not a voice of a professional singer but it did sound dreamy especially coming from someone looking like him.

Hana and Kayled took a peek from backstage. Hana shouted, "Damn! You're gorgeous and could sing?" Everyone laughed.

The comment only made Nao stiffer. He did not move naturally. He was definitely caught off-guard and was starting to feel embarrassed. However, he only looked at Umeko who was guiding him through the song.

After the chorus, Umeko mouthed "Sing this part…" Nao's eyes enlarged from surprise.

_I am already here…Let's just get this over with._

"Ain't nothin' better. We beat the odds together…" He was extremely stiff. However, slowly, he was starting to feel comfortable when stopped looking at everyone and only looked at Umeko. Eventually, he was able to walk towards Umeko during the pre-chorus.

"They said 'I bet they'll never make it' but just look at us holdin' on…" Nao instinctively grabbed Umeko's hand. Everyone gasped when they saw Nao take Umeko's hand.

"Oooooh!" Asuka shouted from seeing them. Eri dropped Honey on the floor. Hana was audibly stomping on the floor from the excitement she was feeling as she watched the two.

The two continued to sing together. Only this time, they were holding each other's hand as they looked at each other and smile. _I don't know why but I feel like this is the right thing to do. _The interlude came in. Umeko asked Nao to dance her. Willingly, Nao complied to Umeko's wish. They held each other and swayed together to the beat.

"I am sorry if I am being weird…" Nao whispered.

"You are not weird." Umeko said.

"What am I being right now?" Nao asked.

"You are being sweet." Umeko answered.

Nao blushed and smiled at her. Umeko giggled at Nao.

Everyone who was looking at them became curious as to what they were talking about. It was Nao's blush that made them curious. "Why is he blushing? I need to know!" Hana shook Kayle.

"Everyone is looking at you." Umeko said.

"I think everyone is looking at us." Nao timidly whispered.

"Let's end this." Umeko smiled as she let go of him. They sang the last chorus of the song and ended the performance. People were clapping at them. Everyone was entertained by their little performance. Nao gave the microphone to Mako and quickly went back to his station. He eyed Reyes.

"What? It is not like everything came out from that was bad." Reyed teased Nao. Nao grabbed a cookie and ate it. After that, Hana and Kayle went on stage. Kayle jumped off the stage while Hana stayed onstage.

"Hi! I have a good news and a bad news." Hana said. Everyone was stopped by what they were doing. _Did something bad happen? _ All of them were anticipating Hana's statement. Nao looked at Reyes who was ready to draw out her epee.

"The bad news is that this is the last song!" Hana said. People let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on! Relax! The good news is this is an EDM that lasts for an hour! Dance 'til your hearts out bitches!" Hana screamed. The music quickly kicked in. Then, she jumped off the stage to join the people dancing. People started jumping like they were in a rave in a club. Even Kayle and Eri were dancing even though they were so tiny. _Eri and Kayle swaying to the beat is a sight I will never forget._

The students continued to dance. Some got hungry and went to Nao's station. Umeko went to him and sat beside him. He could not look at her without remembering his embarrassing performance.

"Why are you avoiding to look at me?" Umeko asked.

"Sorry! I am just really embarrassed about my performance." Nao confessed.

"What? You were great! With a little more training, you will be good enough to become a generic male idol." Umeko laughed.

Finally, Nao looked at her. "You are just saying that because you are trying to comfort me." Nao told Umeko.

"No, I am not!" Umeko said. Out of nowhere, Asuka went to them to grab a piece of taco.

"Wasn't he great?" Umeko asked Asuka.

Asuka quickly replied, "You fucking killed that song bro! You two were fucking great to listen and look at! Hana was totally right about you two looking like you belong with each other."

"Hey! I just asked you if he was great." Umeko told her.

Asuka took a taco and raised her hand. She slowly backed away from the two. "To me, you sounded well." Umeko told him.

Umeko stood up and grabbed his hands. "Let's go!" Umeko suddenly dragged Nao into the dance floor with her. Umeko started to dance. Nao was awkward. He tried to do something but his awkwardness made him stiff.

"You are so adorable to look at. Hahahahahaha!" Umeko laughed at Nao.

Nao could not argue because he knew awkward he looked like. _Why am I letting her make me do these things? _Eventually, he stopped trying and stood to watch Umeko smiling as she danced. _At least she is enjoying this. _

Everyone was dancing energetically when the song suddenly changed. The song became slow.

"Hana, what is up with the music change?" Mako asked.

"I might have lied. Hihihihi!" Hana cheekily laughed.

Mako asked for Jitsunori's hand. Then, the two started to dance. Umeko looked at the two and smiled as she watched them.

"Do you want to dance?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko was surprised by Nao's offer. However, it did not stop her to say yes.

The two joined Mako and Jitsunori. Soon, Eri and Takashiro joined. Surprisingly, Asuka was able to make Samuru dance her. "This will be fun! Hahahahaha!" Asuka laughed as she was danced by Samuru.

The four pairs continued to dance until the music changed again. It became energetic again like the first time. Nao let Umeko dance as he went back to his station. He looked at everyone who was enjoying the party. _At least our last moments alive were happy and carefree. _The group continued to dance until the time was up.

"Thank you for this guys! I will never forget this!" Kayle tearfully said after announcing the party was over. Some started to cry and hugged each other. Even Nao could not hold back the tears. One by one, people left the gymnasium until Umeko and Nao were the only ones left.

The two walked out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Nao asked Umeko.

"To my room… What about you?" Umeko answered.

"To my room as well."

The two walked to their rooms quietly. Finally, they arrived in front of their doors. Nao's hand was already on the doorknob he was about to open it when he turned around to hug Umeko. "Thank you for the past few days. It was great knowing you." Nao told her.

After that, Nao quickly went to his room without hearing what Umeko had to say. He lied down on his bed as he stared at his tablet. _Ten more minutes until I die…_

He recalled everything that happened to him in the past few days. He laughed at some of the memories he had. They were silly and worth treasuring. There were some that made his blood boil. An example of this was when he first met Jirou. Some of his memories were sad.

As he reminisced, he quickly remembered his promise to Ayumu. _His cookies! _He looked at the time. There were only five minutes left. He did not know why but he felt like he must do his promise. He quickly rushed to the kitchen to see if there were cookies left in there. To his dismay, there was none. _I guess I am going to the gymnasium. I think there were still cookies left in there. _He looked at the time on his tablet.

"12:01 am…" _I'm still alive? How?_

He was shocked by this discovery. Slowly, Nao walked into the gymnasium. As soon as he opened the door, he quickly saw Hana crying on the floor. Nao ran towards her to ask what happened.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Nao asked.

Hana could not say a word. She could only look at Nao and point at the shattered disco ball on the floor. Nao saw it. Quickly, his eyes went up to where the disco ball should be.

His jaw dropped. He could not believe what he was seeing.

Hanging at the end of a rope was the once full of life but now lifeless body of the Ultimate Mythologist, Ayumu Watanabe.

* * *

**Who Killed The Disco Star? (Daily Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 15**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist**

**Death Toll: 1**

* * *

**Hello guys! Were you shocked by the identity of the first victim? I really had fun writing the character. Thank you to NSPunny for giving me such a great character to write!**

**Now that the identity of the first victim has been revealed, who do you think is the killer? How was the victim killed? Sound of your thoughts and theories on the review section.**

**To those who want to talk about this story, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. If you are having a problem, PM me.**

**That is all for now! I hope I was able to shock you with how the victim is.**

**Thank you for reading and good luck to all of us!**


	13. Who Killed The Disco Star? 5

**Hi guys! I am really excited for you all to start reading this! I really had a hard time writing this.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Nao could not utter a word. His lips trembled as he tried to say a word. He could not move from fear. His body froze as if his muscles turned to stone. Nothing was in his mind other than the sight of the lifeless body of Ayumu.

Ayumu's body was dangling as if it was a disco ball. Swaying from left to right as his limbs lifelessly followed the motion. His bloodshot eyes were staring down on the two as if they were the ones who killed him. Seeing it was traumatic and will forever be stuck in Nao's mind. The once cheerful and lively Ayumu was now dead.

_Oh my God! What happened to him? This can't be real? Is he really dead?_

Nao was in denial. He could not accept the fate of his acquaintance. _He did not deserve to die like that! _As much as he wanted to believe it was not real, Hana's cry was too real for Nao to disregard it as nothing.

Hana continued to cry on the floor. She could not utter any word other than "Why!" Her cries were loud and sharp to the ear. It was painful and heartbreaking to hear. Hearing her, nobody can say she was not devastated to find out Ayumu was dead.

"I thought he was just hiding from me! I thought he just locked up in his room to hide from everyone! I never thought he was already dead! Who would do this to him?" Hana shouted as she grieved over Ayumu's death.

Nao knelt to Hana's level and hugged her. _Nobody deserves to see a friend in this state. Whoever did this must be heartless! _Hana continued to cry on his chest. He let her cry until she could not anymore. It was the least he could do for Hana. He let Hana go and told her he will get everyone to gather in the gymnasium.

"Just stay here…" Nao said.

He left and quickly went straight to everyone's quarters. As he was walking, he could slowly feel tears flow down his cheeks. He slowly touched his cheeks and wiped it off. _Ayumu was a good guy. Who would do this to him? I cannot accept this!_

Eventually, he reached the quarters where everyone was celebrating in the hallway clueless of what was hanging in the gymnasium. All of them were outside shouting and screaming of joy. Some were jumping around while others were laughing making light of Monokuma's threat.

Seeing this, Nao hesitated to bring them the news. _How could I say this to them? I do not want to ruin their mood. I do not want the joy in their eyes to be replaced by sorrowful tears. I do not want to but I have to. _ He took a deep breath and walked to the others.

Mako was jumping up and down with Reyes and Kayle shouting, "We lived! Hahahaha!"

"I guess Monokuma was bluffing after all." Manon said.

Eri and Takashiro were hugging as tears of joy flowed down Eri's cheeks.

"We-we-we are all alive!" Eri shouted.

"Yes, we are!" Umeko told Eri as she joined Takashiro in hugging Eri.

Slowly, Nao walked towards everyone. Jitsunori was the first one to notice him. Jitsunori walked towards him and gave him a big hug.

"We are alive! Can you believe that?" Jitsunori told him as he continued to hug him. Nao could not do anything. He wanted to tell the news when had everyone's attention.

"Where were you? We kept on knocking on your door when it was already midnight." Jitsunori asked. Nao kept quiet. This made Jitsunori let him go. He looked at Nao and knew something was off. Nao faintly smiled before breaking down into tears. This made Jitsunori worry even more.

"What is wrong?" Jitsunori asked Nao.

Jitsunori's voice was loud and caught everyone's attention. Everyone was now looking at Nao who was emotionally distraught. Clueless, people started to feel nervous. Umeko approached Nao to help Jitsunori in calming him down.

"Nao, what happened?" Umeko asked.

Nao quickly hugged her and whispered to her, "Everyone needs to go to the gymnasium, now." Umeko pulled away from him. She was bothered by Nao's statement and looked around everyone.

"He told me that we should go to the gymnasium now." Umeko told everyone.

Nervously, everyone followed. Nao led the group as he wiped off his tears. He was uncomfortable to reveal the gruesome sight that was waiting for the others to see. As they reached the door to the gymnasium, he slowly opened it. The group quickly saw Hana on the floor crying. The group went to her just like how Nao did earlier. Quickly, Hana pointed out Ayumu's corpse.

"Aaaaahhhh!" Umeko screamed being the first of the group to see Ayumu.

Afterward, an announcement was aired by Monokuma.

"Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our first ever school trial!" Monokuma quickly turned off the audio system.

"This has to be a joke! Right, Hana?" Reyes asked. However, Hana only stared blankly at her. Hana's silence sent shiver down everyone's spine. It was a frightening confirmation of what they were staring at.

Eri quickly broke down to tears. She was unable to process the reality of Ayumu's death. Other than her, Rei Became hysterical. She started to scream as she continued to hug her notebook. "Aaaaaaahhhhhh! A-a-a murder! N-n-no! It really…happened…No! No! No! No! No!" It was chaotic. Her screams were unbearable during that moment.

Jirou had enough of it and put his hand on her shoulder. Quickly, she flinched and turned around to see Jirou. Seeing him, she stepped away from him. "Get away from me!" She stared at him after that. Then, she looked around to see everyone looking at her.

"Nobody touches me! Someone is dead! Someone is dead…murdered!" Rei shouted at the group. Nobody could say anything. The realization of a killer was among them was discomforting. The trust they built for four days was quickly destroyed by Rei's statement.

It was silent. Suddenly, a table flew through the gymnasium. The food that was on it went with it as well. Luckily, no one got hit even though the table almost hit Manon and Norio in the head. Plates and bowls broke as food scattered and mixed with the shards of the disco ball on the floor. Slowly, Samuru walked towards the mess.

He picked up a glass shard and looked at everyone. His eyes were menacing. It was filled with deep anger and frustration. Everyone froze from where they were standing. He gripped on the shard and pointed it at everyone.

"Who killed Ayumu!" Samuru shouted. It made everyone quiver with fear. Everyone knew Samuru was unreasonably violent when mad. It was dangerous to even make a move whenever he was in this state.

"Confess now! I will slash your throat in front of everyone!" Samuru declared. Nao instinctively put his hand on his throat when Samuru said it. _Someone needs to do something now! _Quickly, Nao looked at Reyes. Surprisingly, Reyes quickly understood what Nao meant with the look on his face.

Without saying a word, Reyes started walking towards Samuru. She drew out her epee and pointed it at Samuru. "Calm down! As much as I understand your anger, I believe the best course of action is to calmly assess the situation and not to be easily driven by anger." Reyes said.

It was a sensible statement. Unfortunately, Samuru was not in his most sensible state. "Are you going to let the murderer away scratch-free?" Samuru asked.

"No! I believe the killer must be punished. However, we need to calmly figure out who the killer is. Shouting will not get us anywhere." Reyes stated.

"It sounds to me you are on the killer's side." Samuru declared.

Reyes chuckled. "If you only know how pissed I am with the person responsible for this."

"You are just saying that." Suddenly, Samuru ran towards Reyes. Reyes was about to charge towards Samuru when Monokuma appeared between them. The two quickly stopped from seeing the bear. The sight of the annoying Monokuma quickly made Samuru's blood boil even more.

"What is happening?" Monokuma shouted pretending he did not know anything.

"You fiend!" Samuru quickly jumped over Monokuma. He was about to stab Monokuma with the glass shard he was holding when Monokuma jumped away from it. Samuru only hit the floor with his glass shard.

"Did you do this?" Samuru shouted as he pointed at Ayumu's corpse. Monokuma chuckled.

"Upupupupu! Why would you think I killed our lively mythologist?" Monokuma answered.

"Because you are crazy!" Samuru shouted.

"Look who is talking and holding a glass shard! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma quickly replied.

"Answer me!" Samuru continued to shout.

"Of course I did not kill him! I will never hurt a student unless they ought to be punished." Monokuma answered in a serious tone.

"I do not believe you!" Samuru added.

"Believe me or not, it was one of you twerps who hanged him like that! I know! Shocking! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma sarcastically shouted. It angered a lot of people in the room. It was upsetting to hear how little Monokuma thought about Ayumu's death. _This is annoying! He is treating Ayumu's death as if it was nothing._

"I already told you from the moment I saw the list of committees that someone was going to kill. Did you think I am a fool who will just give out a motive that will not get anyone killed? I have hosted enough killing games in my life to know what button to press to make one of you kill." Monokuma declared with a menacing tone.

Nobody could say anything other than Eri. The toymaker whispered, "Why do this to us…" Monokuma jumped towards her. He landed in front of Eri smiling at her with his god-awful grin.

"It is because I want to see the despair in the look of your faces. Nothing gets me high like seeing the expression of your faces. To see your face right now is priceless! Hihihihihi! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma creepily leaned forward to Eri as he continued explaining. Eri took a step back as Monokuma continued to invade her private space.

Then, Monokuma jumped backward and laughed. "That was amazing! Your reaction was priceless." _He is awful!_

Nao had enough. "Why did you suddenly show up?"

"Good question Mr. N.E.E.T.! I am here to discuss what typically happens after a murder occurs." Monokuma answered. Everyone was silent intently listening to Monokuma.

"This is how things will happen. When someone is murdered, three people, not including the murderer, need to see the body for me to make a body discovery announcement. After that announcement, I will give you time to investigate and look for evidences and clues on how the murder happened. Use that time wisely since the period lasts depending on my mood. When the time is up, report back here to meet before the trial starts." Monokuma told the group. It was simple and easy to understand. _This bear is twisted._

"Also, before I leave, I wanted to tell you that I will give you an autopsy report through your tablets every time someone dies. Good luck with your investigation!" And just like that, Monokuma disappeared.

After a few minutes, everyone's tablet quickly rang. Nao took his tablet out of his pocket and opened it. He quickly noticed a notification on the folder "Facts". He opened it to see another folder was inside the folder. It was named "Case #1: Ayumu Watanabe". He opened it to see a file. Nao read it and figured out it was the autopsy report Monokuma was talking about.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #1**

**The victim was Ayumu Watanabe. The estimated time of his death was 10:03 pm during the party. The victim died of asphyxiation.**

* * *

As it sank in, Nao began to question what the group will do. _Are we really investigating Ayumu's death? This is really happening. How are we going to do this? _Nao looked around and saw Kayle who was about to say something.

"I think we should investigate this as a group." Kayle suggested.

Quickly, someone disagreed with her. Jirou chuckled and looked at the Ultimate Tact's direction. "Pathetic! Why should we do that? It will only help the murderer manipulate everyone into thinking they are not the murderer."

Kayle did not let Jirou just disregard her idea. "I agree with you on that part. However, I think it would be great to stick as a group so we can monitor each. In that way, we will be able to see if someone was doing something suspicious. And, we can share information with each other."

Both sides had merit to it. However, to Nao, both were wrong. _If we all stick as one group, the murderer will be able to manipulate everyone easily. However, if everyone separates, the murderer will have a chance to tamper with the pieces of evidence he or she left. _Nao tried to think of a compromise. Quickly, he came up with something.

"I think we should investigate in groups. Let's split up into teams of three. That way, the murderer will only be able to manipulate two people. And, we will have more chance of gathering evidence." Nao suggested.

Everyone agreed to it. Even Jirou could not see any option better than what Nao had suggested. "I suppose we can opt to try that suggestion." Jirou said as he crossed his arms.

Everyone quickly grouped themselves into three. Nao idly stood as he looked at everyone grouping up with each other. Asuka, Manon, and Samuru grouped together. Jistunori asked Mako and Reyes to join him. Eri and Takashrio were left with Kayle. Surprisingly, Jirou decided to group with Rei and Norio.

Umeko approached Nao who was only standing. "Let's group up!" Nao did not see anything wrong with it. He quickly agreed. The two were left in search of another member only to realize the only one left without a group was Hana.

Hana was sitting on the bleachers expressionlessly staring at the ground. It was really sad to see her in a state like this. Like Ayumu, she was one of the livelier people in the group. She filled the room with laughter with every word and comment she said. Now, she was speechless with no emotion on her face.

Nao and Umeko approached her. "Hey, do you want to group with us?" Umeko asked Hana as she sat beside her. Hana did not even look at her. Instead, she continued staring on the floor as she replied to her. "I just want to be alone. I don't want to move. I can't move."

"But we can't leave you here." Umeko said.

There was a moment of silence before Hana responded.

"Why should I even try? Ayumu's dead!" Hana began to cry again.

Seeing this, Nao sat beside her and began whispering, "Exactly! Ayumu is dead and it is up to us to give him the justice he deserves."

Hana stopped crying and looked at Nao. Suddenly, she started telling the two how she felt. "He was so sweet! He let me live my fantasy as I let him live his without ever judging each other. We understood each other. We knew what to say to make each other smile. I was happy with him even though he only wanted friendship from me. Being friends with him was enough for me. Now, he is gone because of someone. That person has to pay!" Hana said.

She stood up and looked at the two. "Let's do this." The two stood up and joined Hana. The other groups started to go their different ways to start investigating. Hana, Nao, and Umeko opted to stay in the gymnasium.

The three first went to the most noticeable thing in the gymnasium, the disco ball. The three looked at it. The massive thing was shattered into pieces. Nao cannot think of what could have happened to the disco ball. All he knew about it was that it was once a sphere but now is shattered into pieces.

"This is strange. Shouldn't this ball be hanging where…Ayumu is?" Umeko asked.

Suddenly, the three's tablets vibrated. They took it and opened it to see a new file was added in the folder "Case #1: Ayumu Watanabe" They opened it to see a new fact was revealed.

* * *

**Fact #2: Broken Disco Ball**

**A disco ball was laying on the floor of the gymnasium shattered into pieces.**

* * *

"What's this?" Hana asked. Suddenly, Monokuma appeared to the three. "Whenever you discover something, I will send you a file about your discovery so that you will have a reference during the trial. Anyway, good luck!" Monokuma disappeared as quickly as he showed up.

"I guess we should just continue to investigate with our tablets so that we would be ready to see any new files added by Monokuma." Nao suggested.

The three continued to eye the disco ball. Something was bothering Nao about it. He could not pinpoint it by just looking. Because of that, he looked around the room to see if anything would help him remember it. Suddenly, he saw a rope tied to a railing of a bleacher. He left the two to approach it. His eyes followed where the rope would end. It ended around Ayumu's neck.

"Guys, shouldn't this rope be tied to the disco ball?" Nao asked the two girls.

* * *

**Fact #3: Rope**

**The rope used to hang the disco ball was used to hang Ayumu. Its other end was tied to a railing of a bleacher.**

* * *

The two girls went to approach Nao. They agreed with Nao that it was weird that it was tied to a railing. It should have been tied to the hook of the disco ball. Other than that, they could not see anything worthy to take note of on the rope.

The group continued to look around the gymnasium trying to look for any clue. Sadly, there was nothing they could find. They gave up on looking for clues inside the room. Because of this, they decided on the next room they think they should visit.

"Where should we go next?" Nao asked.

"Let's go to the storage room. Maybe we might be able to see things that should not be there." Umeko answered.

Then, the three decided to go out of the gymnasium and go to the storage room through the path near the front door of the gymnasium. Nao grabbed the doorknob to open it. Surprisingly, it would not open. He repeatedly attempted to open it only to fail all the time. Because of that, Hana suggested, "What if it is locked because it is nighttime?"

Nao quickly disagreed with it. "It should be open. Monokuma told us during the reveal of his motive he will not lock up this and the pantry."

* * *

**Fact #4: Blocked Door**

**The door near the front door of the gymnasium leading to the stairs leading to the storage room was locked even though Monokuma announced it would not be locked.**

* * *

_We definitely need to get this open. If this was locked, presumably by the killer, then something must be hidden inside. We need to find out what is inside the storage room. _He knew that he had to open it but he knew he cannot without the help of Monokuma. Quickly, he shouted for Monokuma to come. As soon as he made the call, Monokuma appeared behind the three.

"What do you need from me?" Monokuma asked.

"We need you to get this door opened." Nao requested.

"Why should I do that?" Monokuma asked.

Quickly, Nao was able to make up something. "If you don't, the trial will end quickly since no one will be able to have sufficient evidence to point fingers at each other. You will not see the despair on anyone's faces for too long if that happens." Monokuma was made to stop and think about it.

"I see! If that is the case, I will help you! Hihihihi!" Suddenly, Monokuma disappeared again. The three waited for Monokuma to comeback. As they were waiting, Nao looked around snd saw something out of place. He went to it and picked it up.

"Isn't this Ayumu's walkie talkie?" Nao showed the two girls the walkie talkie.

* * *

**Fact #5: Walkie Talkie**

**Ayumu's walkie talkie was found on the floor in the hallway connecting the gymnasium and the main hallway.**

* * *

"Why is it here? Isn't it supposed to be with Ayumu?" Umeko asked.

"I don't know." Nao answered.

Nao was going to add something when he was cut off by a metal sound that came from behind the door leading to the storage room. He went back to the door. Suddenly, the door opened and Monokuma was standing on the other side of the door. He was holding a long metal pole. Then, he threw it to the three. Luckily, Nao caught it.

"There! I can't help you any longer!" Monokuma disappeared again.

Nao looked at it and was confused with why Monokuma gave them a long metal pole. However, Nao disregarded it seeing there was nothing he could think of to connect it with Ayumu's death. The three walked through the doorway. Nao was the last one to enter. Since he was the last one, he was the one who closed the door. Immediately, he saw something weird on the bottom-most part of the door. It was a circular imprint.

Nao looked at the end of the metal pole. It was circular. Seeing that, Nao had an idea. He put one end of the pole to the circular imprint. Then, Nao pulled the door to open. The door did not open.

"Guys, check this out!" Nao told the two girls. He demonstrated it and the two girls surprised by it.

"Doesn't that mean the pole was the reason why we cannot open the door earlier?" Umeko suggested.

* * *

**Fact #4: Blocked Door(REVISED)**

**The door near the front door of the gymnasium leading to the stairs leading to the storage room could not be open even though Monokuma announced it would not be locked. It was blocked by a long metal pole from the inside of the room.**

* * *

"Let's continue." Nao suggested. The three went upstairs to the storage room. There, they immediately saw a lot of things that were not in the right place. It was messy, unlike the way Nao saw it previously. The first thing he noticed was the stainless steel ladder.

The stainless steel ladder was propped up and was not set to the side, unlike the wooden ladder. Instead, it was in the middle of the mess. Nao knew it should be kept at the side since he was the one who last touched it.

"This ladder shouldn't be here." Nao told the two girls.

"You're right. I remember you putting it to the side when we came up here to see Eri and Takashiro." Umeko told Nao.

* * *

**Fact #6: Ladder**

**The stainless steel ladder was propped up in the middle of the room.**

* * *

The next thing Nao noticed was the other disco ball. Nao knew there should be another disco ball in the room. The disco ball should be the bigger one. However, the one that was in the room was the smaller one. _Shouldn't this one be the shattered one on the floor? _Nao examined the disco ball just to be sure. It was really the smaller one.

"Umeko, isn't this the smaller disco ball?" Nao told her.

"Now that you've mentioned this, I think it is the smaller disco ball." Umeko answered Nao.

Hana, who was listening, could not follow. She did not understand what the two were talking about. "Smaller disco ball?" Hana asked.

The two looked at her. "Eri made a smaller disco ball since the first one was too big." Nao told her.

"I did not know that." Hana said.

_Interesting…_

* * *

**Fact #2: Broken Disco Ball(Revised)**

**A disco ball was laying on the floor of the gymnasium shattered into pieces. The broken disco ball was the bigger disco ball.**

* * *

**Fact #7: Disco Ball In The Storage Room**

**A disco ball in the storage room was still intact. It was the disco ball used during the party.**

* * *

The next thing Nao noticed was a remote for the trapdoor. There were plenty of copies of the remote in the shelves of a cabinet. However, one of them was on the floor. Nao could not identify if it was used but he knew it was out of place.

He told the group about this. However, unlike him, the others did not think of it as important. Even so, Nao still had a feeling it was important and should be taken note of.

Suddenly, Nao thought that he should find out who knows how to use the remote. He quickly asked the two girls.

"I don't know how to use it. Actually, this is the first time I found out there was a remote for that." Hana answered.

"I think you know my answer to your question." Umeko said.

* * *

**Fact #8: Remote**

**A remote was laying on the floor. People who knew how to use the remote were Nao and Umeko.**

* * *

The group continued searching. Nao looked at the cabinets. He thought maybe something was misplaced or something was missing. He looked at a cabinet with bottles and flasks. Immediately, he noticed that a spray bottle was missing. He quickly looked around the room to find for the missing spray bottle. With luck, he found it on the floor. In it was a yellow liquid.

Beside it was a bottle from the clinic. Nao looked at the label of the bottle. It was called "Poison F". In its label, it said how it works and what its effects were. Nao called the two girls and read it. "Spray it to your victim's face. It will cause quick yet painful asphyxiation to your victim. Side effects include bloodshot eyes and swelling of the ears."

"That does not sound great…" Umeko commented.

* * *

**Fact #9: Spray Bottle**

**A spray bottle was found on the floor. It had a strange yellow liquid inside of it.**

* * *

**Fact #10: Poison F**

**A bottle of poison from the clinic was found beside a spray bottle on the floor. The poison causes asphyxiation. Its side effects include bloodshot eyes and swelling of the ears.**

* * *

"Hana, when you checked the inventory this morning, was there any poison missing?" Nao asked.

"As Ayumu and I told you earlier, everything was complete." Hana answered.

* * *

**Fact #11: Inventory**

**According to Hana and Ayumu's report, no poison was missing when they checked the inventory in the morning.**

* * *

After resolving everything they can with the poison, they continued to search for other clues. Nao knew they have to check Ayumu's body but he did not want to leave the other two girls. Luckily for him, two groups came in. It was Samuru's and Kayle's groups.

"Oh, hello there!" Takashiro greeted Nao's group.

"Hi! How is your investigation going?" Umeko asked.

"We still have questions needed to be answered." Samuru answered.

Nao knew that it was his opportunity to examine Ayumu's body. "I think we need to examine Ayumu's body. But, I could not leave these two girls. I was thinking you could help in lowering the body on the floor of the gymnasium." Nao requested.

"Very well, I do not see any problem with that. I shall help you in lowering the body." Samuru said. Everyone decided to go down to the gymnasium. Samuru and Kayle's groups decided to use the path that leads to the front of the gymnasium. Nao thought that they should check the path that leads to the backstage.

The three walked to it. Immediately, they saw another long metal pole positioned like the one they figured out earlier. "Even this door was intentionally blocked." Nao said.

* * *

**Fact #12: Backstage Door**

**Like the door near the front of the gymnasium, the door leading to the backstage was blocked by a long metal pole.**

* * *

Nao grabbed the long metal pole and decided to get rid of it to open the door. Once the path was cleared, Nao opened the door. There, they saw backstage. Nothing was really out of the ordinary. There was the equipment used during the performances of the three girls. To him, nothing was out of place since he did not know how it looked like earlier.

"Is there anything weird in here?" Nao asked the two girls.

"Nothing really. It is still how we left it earlier." Hana answered.

Seeing that there was nothing worth mentioning, the three decided to join the other two groups in the middle of the gymnasium. They quickly ran to them thinking they were delaying the other group. "Sorry! We checked the backstage if there was something weird." Nao told the others.

"Was there anything weird in there?" Manon asked.

"There was nothing to take note of." Umeko answered.

Samuru quickly went to the rope tied to the railing of a bleacher. He told Nao to follow him. Immediately, Nao followed. Samuru untied the rope and held onto it. "Help me. We should be slow in getting him down. We don't want Ayumu to become like the disco ball." Samuru explained.

Gently, the two started in getting Ayumu down. Once Ayumu's body was on the floor, the two let go of the rope and joined the others. Everyone was gathered around Ayumu. Nobody except for Samuru was willing to touch or move Ayumu. Hana was starting to tear up again.

"Move aside. I will check his body since I am the only one not bothered by the corpse." Samuru quickly checked Ayumu's body. After examining it, he quickly reported his findings to the group.

"He has bloodshot eyes and his ears are weirdly swollen. Also, his face is slightly wet. I advice that nobody touches it since it does not look like water." Samuru told everyone.

* * *

**Fact #13: Eyes And Ears**

**Ayumu's eyes were bloodshot red while his ears were swollen.**

* * *

_Just like the side effects of Poison F…_

* * *

**Fact #14: Wet Face**

**Ayumu's face was wet. However, it is not water that was on his face.**

* * *

After that, Nao thought of asking people.

"I am just curious, does anyone here know how to use the remote for the trapdoor?" Nao asked the group. Immediately, Samuru responded.

"All of the security committee members know how to use the remote. I taught them just in case we would need to use it during the party." Samuru answered.

Eri raised her hand after Samuru answered. "Takashiro and I know how to use it as well."

* * *

**Fact #8: Remote(REVISED)**

**A remote was laying on the floor. People who knew how to use the remote were Ayumu, Eri, Kayle, Manon, Nao, Reyes, Samuru, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

* * *

_That is a lot of people who know how to use the remote. I really believe the remote is connected in some way._

After that, he thought he might as well ask Eri about the people she told about when it came to the stainless steel ladder and the disco ball.

"By the way Eri, other than me, who else did you tell about the ladders? We saw the stainless steel ladder moved. It must have been used for some reason." Nao asked.

"Uhmmm…I think I have t-t-told Manon…Kayle…Norio…Umeko…Rei…Mako…and Jitsunori about it. O-o-of course Takashiro knows about the l-l-ladder as well." Eri explained.

* * *

**Fact #6: Ladder(REVISED)**

**The stainless steel ladder was propped up in the middle of the room. The people who knew about the ladder's specific condition were Eri, Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, Manon, Nao, Norio, Rei, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

* * *

"Also, who else knew about you making another disco ball?" Nao continued to ask.

"You…Umeko…Manon…Kayle…Jitsunori…Mako…Norio…Samuru…Takashiro" Eri answered.

* * *

**Fact #7: Disco Ball In The Storage Room(REVISED)**

**A disco ball in the storage room was still intact. It was the disco ball used during the party. Not everyone knew about Eri making two disco balls. The people who knew about this other than Eri were Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, Manon, Nao, Norio, Samuru, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

* * *

After getting her answers, Nao's group decided to start investigating away from the gymnasium and the storage room. They knew they already got everything they could from the two rooms. Although, they were not sure of where to go. They decided to go to the clinic since a bottle of poison from the clinic was found in the storage room.

As they opened the door, they saw Jitsunori's group. They were looking at the cabinets. Immediately, Nao asked the group, "What are you guys looking at?"

Reyes looked at the three and greeted them. "Hi! We are not really looking at anything but we feel like something is missing." Because of this statement, Nao and his groupmates joined in looking. The cabinet was filled with poisons. Instantly, Hana realized what was missing.

"A bottle of Poison F is missing. There should be five here but there are only four left." Hana explained to the group.

* * *

**Fact #15: Poison Cabinet**

**A bottle of Poison F was missing.**

* * *

After that, Nao looked at Reyes. Suddenly, a question popped into his head. He tapped Reyes on the shoulder to get her attention. She turned around and looked at Nao. "Sorry to bother you but didn't you stay at the entrance of the gymnasium the whole party?"

"Yes, I did. Why? Is there a problem?" Reyes answered.

"I was wondering if anyone went out during the party." Nao asked.

"From what I recall, nobody passed through me." Reyes answered.

"Can anyone back that up?" Nao asked.

"Manon was looking at the bleachers the whole party. She was eyeing everyone. You can ask her if you want to." Reyes answered.

* * *

**Fact #16: Reyes' Testimony**

**According to Reyes, nobody passed through her to get out of the room.**

* * *

"Thank you!" After that, Nao told Hana and Umeko they should start looking for Manon. The three left the clinic and went back to the gymnasium. There, Manon was on the stage. She was with Asuka checking the stage for anything. Nao went to the front of the stage.

"Manon, I need to ask you something." Nao shouted at Manon.

Manon approached them to the edge of the stage. She knelt down to hear Nao clearly. "What is it?"

"Reyes told me you were observing everyone during the party. Did anyone leave the party or was anyone acting weird?" Nao asked.

"From what I saw, no one left the room or was acting weird." Manon answered.

"Thank you!" Nao said. Manon went back to her own investigation.

* * *

**Fact #17: Manon's Testimony**

**According to Manon, no one left the room.**

* * *

After that, Monokumka quickly sounded an announcement. "Investigation period is over! Please report to the gymnasium immediately." Suddenly, Nao felt nervous. _That was it? Did we get everything we need? Did I use the time wisely? Whatever this trial maybe, I hope we will be able to solve Ayumu's murder._

Nao looked at his tablet skimmed all of the evidences. He was starting to understand parts of the murder but he knew it was not enough to tell him who did it. One by one, everyone gathered in the middle of the messy gymnasium. All of them were nervous about what was about to start. Most of them were already holding their tablets reviewing the files they received.

Nao looked around. _Everyone is serious about this. I should give everything I have for this trial. I will not let the person who did it to Ayumu get away with it._

After that, he waited for Monokuma to arrive. Shortly after, the deranged bear appeared in front of the students. "Are you guys ready for your first trial?" Nobody answered Monokuma. The only thing they could do was watch the Monokuma make light of their situation.

"This is going to be fun!" Monokuma shouted.

* * *

**I hope this helped everyone in identifying who the killer is. Did the case become clearer or harder to solve? Sound off your guesses in the review.**

**Also, I would like to promote the discord server for this story for those who are interested. The link is on my profile.**

**I will be making another poll to find out who do you think killed Ayumu.**

**That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed reading this!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	14. Who Killed The Disco Star? 6

**Hi guys! I cannot believe I am at the second to the last part of this first chapter. Hahahahaha!**

**Before you get started, I want to inform everyone that I wrote the trial more of like a natural conversation rather than having the facts be shown whenever they need to debunk people. It is also more of a team effort rather than Nao just thinking of everything.**

**Anyway, I hope you will like this!**

* * *

Monokuma has appeared in front of the students as they were gathered in the gymnasium. Unlike Monokuma who was taking the situation lightly, the students were serious in taking down the killer. Agitated, no one really listened to Monokuma joking around. They knew that being distracted can cause them to lose the trial.

Nao was particularly nonchalant about Monokuma. He did not care for him because he knew he would not help them in solving the case. If anything, Monokuma might make it even harder for them to solve it. _This bear can be tricky. He can be uncooperative messing around with everyone. But at the same time, he can be helpful just like earlier with the locked door._

The group was waiting for Monokuma's next instruction. Seeing that everyone's attention was on him, Monokuma decided to tell the students what will happen next.

"Every time an investigation period is over, report here. I hope that is simple enough for everyone to understand. Anyway, we will be having our trial next!" Monokuma shouted.

"Here?" Manon asked.

"Dumb bitch! Of course not! We will be having our trial in a proper courtroom! I am not some amateur host of a killing game, you know!" Monokuma shouted.

Samuru stepped forward. "If we are not having the trial here, where shall we do it?" Samuru asked calmly. _Samuru is calm. I thought he would be more…violent…talking to Monokuma. He must be taking this thing more seriously. I hope he stays like this until the end of the trial._

Suddenly, the floor started to shake. People clung onto each other to keep their balance. It felt like a strong earthquake. As the floor shook, a portion of the floor started to rise. It was big and had a door. On top of it was Monokuma sitting on it as it rose from the floor. He swayed his legs as if nothing was happening.

"La la la la" Monokuma sang as it rose. Eventually, the floor stopped shaking and the thing stopped rising from the floor.

"My god! That was intense! I guess the gears are very rusty. I will clean it so next time we will have a trial, the floor will not shake like it is the freaking apocalypse. Hahahahaha!" Monokuma joked.

"Do you really think someone else will murder after this?" Umeko asked.

"Of course darling! Everyone will kill for a certain prize…" Monokuma said.

He stood up and dusted off his hands. "That was very dusty as well. To those who have weak lungs, I am sorry in advance!" Monokuma shouted.

"What is that?" Samuru asked.

"It's your ride to the courtroom!" Monokuma shouted. Suddenly, the door opened.

"Is that an elevator?" Kayle asked.

"Yes…Now get in!" Monokuma shouted. The students unwillingly went inside the elevator. One by one, the students filled the elevator. It was spacious and was able to fit them all without anyone bumping with each other. Nao stayed behind the elevator. Beside him was Umeko.

Umeko was skimming through the files. She looked at him and said, "Do you think we will be able to solve this case?"

"I hope so…" Nao bluntly answered Umeko.

After a few minutes, the elevator stopped. Slowly, the door opened. Immediately, the group saw a long hallway. Its walls were stark white and the lights were very bright. Everyone stepped out of the elevator. Unsure of where to go, they followed the path. Eventually, they reached the end. At the end of the hallway were four doors. In front of them was the biggest door adorned with intricate patterns. On their right was a metal door with a bright red bulb. It had a placard saying "Do not enter when the light is on". On their left were two doors. The first door looked like a vault. It had a keypad. _Another door that needs a password. _The other one was a simple white door. However, unlike the other three, it was a sliding door.

"Where shall we go?" Kayle asked.

Suddenly, the big door opened. "Welcome twerps to the courtroom!" Monokuma greeted as he was sitting on a tall throne. The room had red-and-blue diamond-patterned walls. A huge television was hanging above Monokuma's thrown. In the middle of the ceiling was a huge chandelier lighting up the whole room. In front of Monokuma were sixteen podiums that were arranged into a circle facing the center. Directly in front of Monokuma was a stand with a wreath of flowers. In the center of it was a black-and-white picture of Ayumu.

Ayumu's picture had him smiling like he normally would. It was saddening to see a picture of his that was full of energy. Nao could hear Hana starting to choke up in tears. On top of the picture of Ayumu was an "X" mark made up of two thunderbolts crossed together.

"What's up with that picture?" Takashiro asked.

"What? Ayumu is still part of our class! Even though he is…dead…we still need to include him." Monokuma explained.

"You are sick!" Reyes shouted.

"Oh, I am! I have diabetes! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma did not take Reyes seriously.

"Anyway, go to the podium with your name on." Monokuma told everyone.

Nao quickly spotted it. It was the podium directly in front of Ayumu's. To his left was Manon while to his right was Umeko. He looked at the podium. It had sixteen buttons with everyone's face on it. _What are these buttons for?_

"Alrighty! Let's begin since everyone has found their podiums." Monokuma shouted.

Nao looked at the files one last time before the trial started.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #1 **

**The victim was Ayumu Watanabe. The estimated time of his death was 10:03 pm during the party. The victim died of asphyxiation.**

**Fact #2: Broken Disco Ball**

**A disco ball was laying on the floor of the gymnasium shattered into pieces. The broken disco ball was the bigger disco ball.**

**Fact #3: Rope**

**The rope used to hang the disco ball was used to hang Ayumu. Its other end was tied to a railing of a bleacher.**

**Fact #4: Blocked Door**

**The door near the front door of the gymnasium leading to the stairs leading to the storage room could not be open even though Monokuma announced it would not be locked. It was blocked by a long metal pole from the inside of the room.**

**Fact #5: Walkie Talkie**

**Ayumu's walkie talkie was found on the floor in the hallway connecting the gymnasium and the main hallway.**

**Fact #6: Ladder**

**The stainless steel ladder was propped up in the middle of the room. The people who knew about the ladder's specific condition were Eri, Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, Manon, Nao, Norio, Rei, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

**Fact #7: Disco Ball In The Storage Room**

**A disco ball in the storage room was still intact. It was the disco ball used during the party. Not everyone knew about Eri making two disco balls. The people who knew about this other than Eri were Jitsunori, Kayle, Mako, Manon, Nao, Norio, Samuru, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

**Fact #8: Remote**

**A remote was laying on the floor. People who knew how to use the remote were Ayumu, Eri, Kayle, Manon, Nao, Reyes, Samuru, Takashiro, and Umeko.**

**Fact #9: Spray Bottle**

**A spray bottle was found on the floor. It had a strange yellow liquid inside of it.**

**Fact #10: Poison F**

**A bottle of poison from the clinic was found beside a spray bottle on the floor. The poison causes asphyxiation. Its side effects include bloodshot eyes and swelling of the ears.**

**Fact #11: Inventory**

**According to Hana and Ayumu's report, no poison was missing when they checked the inventory in the morning.**

**Fact #12: Backstage Door**

**Like the door near the front of the gymnasium, the door leading to the backstage was blocked by a long metal pole.**

**Fact #13: Eyes And Ears**

**Ayumu's eyes were bloodshot red while his ears were swollen.**

**Fact #14: Wet Face**

**Ayumu's face was wet. However, it is not water that was on his face.**

**Fact #15: Poison Cabinet**

**A bottle of Poison F was missing.**

**Fact #16: Reyes' Testimony**

**According to Reyes, nobody passed through her to get out of the room.**

**Fact #17: Manon's Testimony**

**According to Manon, no one left the room.**

* * *

After that, Monokuma shouted, "Let's begin this shitshow!"

Everyone looked at each other. Nobody really knew what to do. For most of them, it was their first time in court. Only one person had an experience with this type of situation and that person was the laziest of them all. It was Norio.

_Is he even awake? _Nao thought to himself who was looking at Norio. Norio was yawning and fanning himself like nothing was happening. Kayle was starting to get irritated. She cleared her throat and started talking to Norio.

"Norio, I think you should lead the trial." Kayle suggested.

"Why?" Norio asked.

"Because you are the ultimate defense attorney?" Kayle answered.

"Give ten thousand bucks and I will tell who killed Ayumu." Norio offered.

Everyone was shocked. It was not because he asked for money. It was because he offered to say who the killer is. _No one has money! When will he get that?_

"We don't have money Norio, remember?" Kayle told him.

"I guess I can't help you right now. But, when nobody has figured out who killed Ayumu, I will tell the group who did it. Is that okay?" Norio told the group.

Nobody really had a choice since Norio is a very phlegmatic person. He can't be changed or forced to do something. _ That is better than not having his help at all._

"That will have to do." Samuru told the group.

Nao knew nothing will happen if nobody suggests where to start. "Let's start with how Ayumu died…" Since nobody had any other suggestions, the group went with it.

"We already know he died of asphyxiation. It was stated in the autopsy report. What else is there to talk about?" Manon asked.

Nao kind of figured out not everyone will know what he meant. "You see, I have a problem with it. If he died of asphyxiation, what method was used?" Nao asked the group. Everyone was still blankly staring at him. He took a deep sigh thinking no one really understood him. Out of nowhere, Umeko shouted, "Oh! I get what you mean!"

"Really?" Nao asked.

"Yes! We found him hanging. That is a typical way of killing someone through asphyxiation. However, we also found a bottle of poison that can cause asphyxiation. Your dilemma is which one was used."

"Easy!" Takashiro shouted.

Everyone looked at him. "It was the noose that killed him, right?" Takashiro said. A lot seemed to disagree with it, especially Kayle.

"We saw Ayumu's body earlier but we did not see any bruising around his neck. If it was the noose, there should have been some sort of bruising." Kayle told him. Nao agreed with Kayle.

"Plus, Ayumu's face was wet. If the killer did not use the poison, why would Ayumu's face be wet?" Manon added.

"Exactly!" Kayle commented.

"C-c-couldn't the killer just used that as a distraction?" Eri tried to back up Takashiro.

"But what would that do for the killer?" Nao asked.

The two weren't able to say anything or retort back. Eventually, the two stopped into trying to prove it was the rope. Everyone agreed that it was the poison that killed Ayumu. However, not everyone understood how the poison became a part of the trial.

"Why are we talking about a poison?" Reyes asked the group.

Everyone looked at her. "I know a bottle of poison was missing but why add it to the trial?" Reyes continued to ask. Nao was intrigued by this question. He put up his tablet with the file "Fact #10" opened. Reyes opened her tablet and looked at it.

"I don't have that file." Reyes told the group.

"Wait, do we have the same number of files?" Nao asked everyone. Everyone quickly scrambled to open their files to see how many they got.

"My group probably only has eleven files." Samuru told everyone.

"Ours had thirteen." Kayle answered.

"We got eight." Reyes told everyone.

Jirou smugly chuckled. "We got fourteen facts. I bet we have the most number of facts."

"Seventeen!" Umeko shouted. Jirou was definitely irritated knowing someone had more facts than him. _It is not a competition. But if it was, I am glad I beat Jirou. _Nao reached out his hand to Umeko. Umeko quickly gave him a high-five.

"Okay, this is not a competition! Let's get back to it." Jirou said. _What a sore loser! _After that, everyone went back to solving the case. _Everyone has a different number of facts, this will be difficult. Some people might not agree with others since they know less than others._

"We were able to establish the poison was used, right?" Kayle asked everyone.

"Yes!" Takashiro shouted.

"When was the poison taken?" Kayle asked.

Everyone was stopped on their tracks except for Nao. "The killer could not have gotten the poison during the party. People would have noticed them going out of the room. It could not have been yesterday as well." Nao told everyone.

"Why?" Jirou asked.

"It was because of Ayumu and Hana's inventory report." Nao explained.

Everyone looked at Hana who had been silent the whole time. "What the fuck is he talking about?" Asuka asked Hana. Hana took a deep breath and answered Asuka.

"Today, Ayumu and I were assigned to do the inventory report. This morning we found out nothing was taken during nighttime. And when we checked yesterday's report, nothing was taken from the clinic during the middle of the day." Hana explained and then went back to being silent.

"It seems that the killer used everyone's undivided attention to the preparation for the party to prepare for the murder." Jirou answered.

After that, nobody spoke. It was a dead end. They now knew what killed Ayumu and when was the weapon taken. However, that was the only thing they have figured out. _What else do we have to talk about? We have the murder weapon and method of killing. What else?_

Eventually, Kayle broke the silence. "What about where the murder took place?" _That seems a thing we should talk about. _Everyone agreed to talk about it. To Nao, the answer seemed obvious. However, when he dug a little deeper, the murder started to become complicated.

"It is obvious Ayumu died outside of the gymnasium." Nao answered.

"How could you say that with certainty?" Jitsunori asked.

"Ayumu's walkie talkie was left there. If Ayumu did not die there, where else could he have died?" Nao told Jirou.

"In the storage room…" Rei told the group.

Quickly, Kayle replied back. "What would Ayumu do in the storage room?" Everyone was made to think about it. Rei tried to stand her ground about it. "Ayumu must have been killed…there since Ayumu's body was near…the storage…room." She started to lose hope about proving her point. She looked at everyone hoping someone would back her up. However, nobody did. She shut up and let the group talk.

"If he was killed in the storage room, wouldn't he have left his walkie talkie in the storage room?" Nao told Rei. Eventually, Rei conceded thinking it did not make sense for Ayumu to leave a walkie talkie outside of the gymnasium.

"If he did die, how the fuck did his body got up where it is right now?" Asuka shouted.

"I think it is too early to discuss that." Kayle told Asuka.

"Why bitch?" Asuka tried to trigger Kayle. However, Kayle did not let Asuke make her upset.

"We still haven't solved the part how the killer got to Ayumu." Kayle told the group.

"That is actually what is making my head hurt about this. We know Ayumu died outside of the gymnasium but how did the killer get past through Reyes and Manon?" Nao told the group.

"What do you mean?" Mako asked.

"Reyes was in front of the door the whole time while Manon was looking at everyone aware of where people were going." Nao answered. The group was stumped. It was mind-boggling to think about it. It was as if the killer teleported.

Mako had an idea. "What if they were conspiring together to get out of here? Reyes could have let Manon get through and kill Ayumu while we were not looking at them." It struck Nao as strange.

"They would not be able to do that." Umeko told Mako.

"Why?" Mako asked.

"It is because of the rules. If the two of them were conspiring together, only one of them will be considered as the blackened. The other one will just be called an accomplice. If that is the case, only one of them will get out." Umeko explained to Mako.

"I guess I am wrong." Mako told the group.

It was another moment of silence in the trial room. _This is getting harder. We need to think of a question so that we would have something to talk about. Think Nao, think! _Immediately, Nao came up with a question.

"When was Ayumu killed?" Nao asked the group.

"Obviously, it was during the party since we are still alive." Kayle answered.

"I know that but during what part of the party?" Nao continued to ask.

"According to the autopsy report, Ayumu was killed around 10:03 pm." Jitsunori told the group. The time is specific but it was not enough for Nao. He quickly turned to Umeko.

"How long was your performance as a group?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko was surprised by this.

"How long? I am not sure…" Umeko answered. Suddenly, Hana spoke up.

"If we added up the length of our music, our performance would have been at least one hour and thirty minutes long." Hana told the group.

"How do you know that?" Mako asked.

"I was the one who arranged every music. Of course, I would know that." Hana answered. She was definitely snappier. _The stress must be getting to her. _

"When did the party start?" Nao asked.

"It was exactly 9:30 pm. I was the one who officially started it." Kayle answered.

Nao got a eureka moment. An answer quickly popped into his head. However, it even made the case more complicated. "He was killed during the performance." Nao told the group. That statement made it even more confusing to Nao. _Everyone was where they were supposed to during that time. The security team was where they were supposed to be. The audience was in the middle of the gymnasium. The performers were on stage. _

"This is starting to get very complicated." Nao told everyone. Everyone agreed. They were now sure what killed Ayumu, where he died, and when he died. They were able to discuss everything they could specifically about Ayumu.

"Ayumu was killed with the poison outside of the gymnasium during the performance." Kayle summarized what they have figured out so far. _Where did the killer hide Ayumu? _Nao quickly asked in his mind. _We went out of the gymnasium. Ayumu was not there. None of the lockers looked suspicious._

"If he died outside of the gymnasium, where did the killer hide him?" Nao asked everyone.

"Inside one of the lockers?" Reyes asked.

"It could not have been inside one of the lockers. It would have looked suspicious since the lockers are too small for Ayumu to fit in and everyone would have noticed that. And, the killer would have noticed the walkie talkie and put it inside the locker with Ayumu." Kayle answered.

"If not there, where?" Mako asked.

"There is only one place the killer could have put Ayumu." Kayle told Mako.

"In the storage room…" Rei added.

"Exactly!" Kayle answered.

"Wasn't the storage room locked? We tried to open it but we couldn't." Reyes asked.

"It was not locked." Manon told Reyes. Reyes was shocked by this information.

"We were able to open it without any problem earlier." Manon told Reyes. This made Reyes even more puzzled. She was unable to process this. However, it was not just her. A lot of them were confused. Nao knew it only opened because of his group's request. _I have to tell them we were the ones responsible for opening the door._

"The door was not locked by Monokuma. Right, Monokuma?" Nao asked Monokuma. Monokuma was asleep. Suddenly, he woke up from Nao's question. There was drool on its mouth. He quickly wiped it off. "Yuck!" He told himself. He fixed himself and tried to pretend nothing happened.

"What was that?" Monokuma asked Nao.

"You did not lock the storage room, right?" Nao asked again.

"Hell no! You twerps! Were you even listening during my announcement of your motive? I told that I was not going to lock the pantry and the storage room for tonight, only! Seriously! Listening is a very important skill in life. You will not get far in life without properly working ears." Monokuma said.

"Isn't your statement a bit ableist?" Jitsunori told Monokuma.

"Whatever! I will say what I want to say and that is enough for me! People these days are so sensitive! Jeez!" Monokuma continued to rant. Eventually, he fell asleep from ranting. He continued to rant by sleep talking. _What is up with this thing? Isn't this supposed to be a robot? What is this, his energy saving mode? _Nao thought to himself as he continued to watch Monokuma.

Everyone went back to the trial and disregarded the sleeping bear. "Now that is clear, what made it not open?" Reyes asked.

"We asked Monokuma earlier to open the door. We found out it was blocked by a long metal pole. Whenever you push the door to open, the pole will stop it from opening. If we weren't able to convince Monokuma to open the door, we would not be able to open the door." Nao told the group.

"Wait, if the door was blocked, when did that happen?" Jitsunori asked.

"A-a-after Ayumu was dragged upstairs?" Eri suggested. It made sense. However, Nao was not fully convinced by this. It felt like an afterthought to him. _The killer prepared so much for killing Ayumu but they decided to block the entryway with just a pole?_

"I think the killer blocked the entryway after the party." Kayle said.

"I actually agree with her. What is your reasoning, Kayle?" Nao asked.

"The killer needed easy access to the storage room. Everyone went out of the gymnasium. If the killer went back to prepare everything, their shortest path would have been the one near the front of the gymnasium." Kayle reasoned.

"Actually, that is the same reason I have for thinking like that. Also, it felt rushed to me. They had hours to get the poison and transfer it into a spray bottle. Then, they just used a pole? There were items in the storage room that was way harder to be unblocked that the killer could have used." Nao told what he felt.

"I think there are two other purposes for blocking it." Umeko told the group. Everyone's attention was on her.

Umeko took a deep breath and told her reasoning. "The killer wanted no one to get to the storage room. There were plenty of pieces of evidence inside of that room. Almost half of the facts that I have would not be here in my tablet if we were not able to get inside the room. Second, I think the killer wanted to leave the impression that Monokuma locked the room. It would be a convenient cover-up."

_Actually, that made sense. If we have thought Monokuma locked it, we would not have persisted to go up and find clues there. This trial would not have gone this far without the help of unlocking the room. _Nao was now stuck with that just like everyone else. _Now that we are discussing the storage room, let's discuss the things inside it._

"There are a lot of things to discuss the storage room." Nao said to everyone.

"Where should we start?" Umeko asked.

"What about the disco ball?" Kayle suggested.

"I think it would be great to start with that." Samuru told the group. It was weird to hear Samuru. He has been quiet the whole time. For Nao, he was too quiet.

"The disco ball on the floor was the bigger one." Nao told the group.

"Bigger one?" Reyes asked.

"Eri and Takashiro made two disco balls. One was smaller than the other. However, the smaller was the one used during the party, not the one shattered on the floor." Nao explained to everyone.

"Wait, if the one used was the smaller one during the party, why was the bigger one on the floor?" Reyes asked. Everyone thought to themselves. However, no one could think of any answer to it. The details were too vague. Nao could not say anything.

"Let's skip that part for now and focus on other details." Kayle suggested. Seeing that they were not going to get far with it, they decided to skip it for now. After that, they were thinking of what else to talk about. _The disco ball and the ladder is still a mystery. What else was in that room that was weird? _Nao opened his tablet and skimmed the facts.

"The remote was used at some point." Nao told everyone.

"Oh, right! There was a remote on the floor that we saw. It should not have been there but it was there." Kayle told the group.

"Why would the killer use the remote?" Umeko asked. Everyone could not think of a reason or an answer. It was starting to get fussy. The details are becoming too much for them to handle.

Nao was starting to get confused with all of the information bombarding at him. It was too much for Nao. _The ladder, disco ball, remote, and the path of the killer… This is starting to become very complicated. Wait! I think I know what the killer did to the disco ball and the remote. I need to tell them to see if it make sense._

"The killer tied Ayumu to the rope right?" Nao asked.

"Yes! Unless Ayumu could tie it himself while he was dead, the killer is the only one capable of tying Ayumu" Jirou answered.

"I think the killer raised the disco ball first into the storage room and changed it with the bigger one after the party was over." Nao told everyone.

Everyone was confused by his statement. Nao knew what he meant but he also knew he was unclear with his words. _How can I tell this to them clearly? This is so confusing! I hope I am not wasting my time explaining this to them._

"We have been talking about how the killer dragged Ayumu inside the storage room but we have never talked about how the killer got out of that room." Nao told them. Slowly, some were able to understand what Nao was trying to say.

"Could you please elaborate on what you are trying to say?" Kayle asked.

"We know the killer locked the two doors from the inside which prevent everyone from getting in the storage room after the party. However, that also means the killer cannot get out of the room using the two doors. The only way out was the trapdoor." Nao said.

Reyes quickly reacted. "That is insane! Are you trying to say the killer jumped from the trapdoor to the floor of the gymnasium? That would be too long of a fall. Anyone who will fall from that height would at least get injured if not die."

Everyone quickly looked at each other to see if anyone was injured. However, Nao knew no one was injured, at least with the method he thought the killer used. After everyone has examined each other, their attention went back to Nao. "No one was injured…" Eri told Nao.

"Of course, no one is injured." Nao told the group. The group became confused with this statement. All they could think of was how everything Nao was saying does not make sense.

"Are you telling us the killer used some clever way to escape the storage room?" Kayle asked.

"Yes, I think I know how the killer pulled it off." Nao told the group. Everyone was focused on what Nao was about to say. _Please let my guess be correct. _Nao thought to himself before he shared what he came up with. He took a deep breath and started telling everyone his idea.

"The killer pulled the disco ball up. As soon as the disco ball was up, the killer closed the trapdoor so that they can work in a more spacious environment. The killer used the ladder to untie the rope from the hook on top of the disco ball. Then, they transferred it to the other ball for some reason I could not think of. Then, the killer tied the other end of the rope around Ayumu's neck like a noose. When everything was okay, the killer opened the trapdoor. The disco ball went down to the ground as Ayumu was hanged higher. Upon impact, the disco ball shattered while the killer was scot-free. Does that make any sense?" Nao told the group.

Everyone was stumped with Nao's conclusion. It solved almost everything they were confused about. However, two questions remained. "Why switch out the disco balls? Why use the stainless steel ladder?" Manon asked.

Nao could not answer her. His brain could not anymore think of anything. He was starting to feel tired. His head ached. His eyes were starting to close. It was too late at night for him to do this. However, he still tried to come up with an answer only to fail to find a conclusion.

It was starting to become hopeless until someone uttered, "The weight…" Kayle said as she silently whispered staring at her podium. Jirou, who was standing at her left, heard her. He looked at her. "What did you say?" Jirou asked.

Kayle looked at Jirou with a faint smile. "The weight…" Everyone heard it clearly. Suddenly, Nao had another idea. _The wooden ladder can only support up to 105 lbs. The bigger disco ball weighed 30 lbs. _He opened up his tablet and looked at everyone's profile. His jaw dropped. _Is this even right? _He quickly looked at a person. _What? It couldn't be? I never thought they could kill…_

Everyone looked at Nao who was speechless. It was obvious he figured out something. Umeko talked to him to find out if everything was alright. "Hey, what is happening to you?" Nao looked at her seriously. He was starting to stutter.

"I-I-I think I know who killed Ayumu…" Nao told Umeko.

Umeko was surprised by this revelation. She was eager to find out who Nao's guess was. "Who is it?" Umeko asked. Nao did not answer. Instead, he kept looking at the person who was smiling at him; who knew they were caught; who has accepted their fate.

"It was you who did it, didn't you?" Nao asked.

The person did not answer. Instead, they looked at their podium and smiled.

Everyone was shocked by Nao's guess. They could not believe he was accusing the person.

"Are you sure about that?" Manon asked.

"Sadly, I am…" Nao trailed off as he looked at the Ultimate Tact, Kayle Ito.

* * *

**That is it for this part! I hope you enjoyed this way of presenting the trial! I had fun writing this. Was your guess correct? Now that we know who killed Ayumu, the remaining question is how and why they killed Ayumu.**

**Anyway, if you want to talk about this story, you could join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile.**

**That is all for now. I hope you are excited for the next chapter.**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	15. Who Killed The Disco Star? 7

**Hi guys! I cannot believe we are at the finish line for this chapter! Hahahahahahaha!**

**Anyway, here is the chapter!**

* * *

Everyone was silent. They could not believe who Nao thought was Ayumu's killer. Nao has declared that their leader, Kayle, was the one behind Ayumu's death. However, not everyone agrees with it especially since Nao has not yet told why he thought it was Kayle who killed Ayumu. The most vocal about it was Reyes.

Reyes was definitely outraged by this. "Nao, accusing someone of murder should not be done lightly. How can you say that Kayle was the one who killed Ayumu? Prove it because I will not believe you unless you tell me." She was angry. Everyone knew she was closest to Kayle. Her anger was admittedly understandable.

Nao stared at Reyes. Finally, he started to explain why he thought Kayle was the killer. "The killer used the stainless steel ladder because their weight cannot be supported by just a wooden ladder. It means that the killer weighs more than 105 lbs."

"So what? Only Eri here weighs less than 105 lbs." Reyes quickly rebutted.

"I am not done." Nao said. Reyes became silent after Nao said that.

"In order for Ayumu to rise and the killer to go down, the total weight of the disco ball and the killer should be more than Ayumu's weight. That means everyone here could have just used the 20-pound disco ball to go down except for two people, Eri and Kayle. However, we know that the killer weighs more than 105 lbs. That only leaves us with Kayle." Nao ended his explanation.

"No! I will not accept this. It must have been just a coincidence! Maybe the killer did that to distract us. Maybe they are trying to frame Kayle! Have you ever think of that?" Reyes continued. It was everyone's first time to see Reyes in this state. She was not formal but she always had it together. She has not broken down once until now.

"Why would the killer do that if they thought nobody will be able to access the storage room?" Umeko added. Everyone looked at her. It seemed that Umeko thought of Kayle as the killer of this case as well.

"You too!" Reyes shouted.

"The killer blocked the entrance to the storage so that no one will be able to gather all of the evidence in the storage room." Nao added. Everything came crashing down on Reyes. She could not admit defeat. It was too much for her to believe that her best friend was a killer. She looked at Kayle who was silently smiling the whole time.

"Wait, I am not done! I did not see anyone get through me and neither did Manon! Explain to me how Kayle could have been the only one who can go to Ayumu and kill him! If you are able to explain that to me, I will finally concede." Reyes told Nao.

Nao was about to answer when Norio suddenly interrupted. He yawned loudly and looked at Reyes who was at his left. "Easy…Kayle went through the path connecting the backstage and the storage room and met Ayumu outside by using the path from the storage room to the outside of the gymnasium. Once she was done killing Ayumu, she dragged him upstairs and left him there. She went back to where she came from before the performances of the three girls were finished. Admit defeat already…Your friend is not even trying to defend herself."

Reyes could not believe it. She looked at Kayle who was doing nothing. "Kayle! Please tell me this is not true! Please! I am begging you!" Reyes shouted as loud as she could. However, Kayle did not respond and continued to smile amidst the menacing stares she was getting from everyone.

"Stop shouting! It is not working! It is just fucking annoying! I knew that bitch had some sort of evil in her when I first saw her but I never thought she could fucking kill." Asuka told everyone as she menacingly stared at Kayle.

"Before we become sure that it was Kayle who killed Ayumu, can someone give a rundown on how things happened?" Jitsunori asked. Nobody was willing to do it other than Nao. He raised his hand. Everyone noticed him and gave him the go signal to do it.

* * *

**Ayumu Watanabe's Murder**

"Let's start from the beginning. During this day, the killer prepared for the murder of Ayumu Watanabe. They took a bottle of Poison F from the clinic. After grabbing one, the killer transferred the liquid into a spray bottle and left it in the storage room.

A few hours later, the party started. The killer was part of the security team and was stationed in the backstage. The killer used this opportunity to commence their plan. They knew the performance was going to be long and used that to the fullest.

To get to Ayumu without anyone noticing, the killer used the passage from the backstage connecting to the storage room. Once they have arrived in the storage room, the killer grabbed the spray bottle with Poison F and took it with them. They once more entered a passage but this time it was connecting the storage room to the outside of the gymnasium.

There, they met with Ayumu. We do not know how long they stayed with Ayumu but we know that in the end, the killer sprayed Ayumu with poison and killed him by asphyxiation around 10:03 pm. Once Ayumu was dead, the killer carried Ayumu with them to the storage room. As the killer was doing this, the killer forgot Ayumu's walkie talkie and left it outside of the gymnasium. They left Ayumu's corpse and the spray bottle in the storage room and went back to their station.

They danced and partied along with everyone as if nothing happened. Once the party was over, everyone went out of the gymnasium. The killer went back to the storage room. They blocked all of the entrances to the storage room with long metal poles for several possible reasons.

Once the place was secured, the killer pulled up the disco ball and closed the trap door. They used the stainless steel ladder since they are heavier than 105 lbs to get on top of the disco ball and untied the rope on its hook. They tied it to the bigger disco ball. This is important because the total weight of the killer and the disco ball had to be more than Ayumu's weight so that they would go down. They tied a noose around Ayumu's neck.

When everything was in place, the killer opened the trapdoor. Immediately, the killer was able to go down while Ayumu's body was hanged. Upon impact, the disco ball shattered. Once the killer was on the floor, they untied the rope on the disco ball's hook and tied it onto one of the railings of the bleachers to secure Ayumu's body. Once they were done, they went back to the quarters pretending as if nothing happened.

The only person who could have done this is Kayle Ito, the Ultimate Tact."

* * *

Nao was done explaining the whole case. Everyone was still in disbelief. It was silent. Nobody could believe their leader was capable of doing such a thing. Throughout the trial, she had been very vocal which was helpful to the group. Without her, Nao would not even have the idea of using the weight as a way to check who the culprit was. Now that she was caught, she was silently smiling.

The silence was broken by Monokuma who has woken up from his nap. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he held a gavel in his hand. "I think everyone here has reached a conclusion. It is time to vote! Hahahaha!"

Everyone looked at the bear. "How are we going to do that?" Takashiro asked.

"Oh, right! I have not explained how this will work. Every time a trial ends, press the button who has the face of the blackened. Failure to do so will result in punishment!" Monokuma explained to everyone. They all looked at the buttons on their podium. They knew which button to press but almost everyone had a heavy heart in doing so.

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist

3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact**

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

_I guess I have to vote for Kayle…_

Everyone was finished voting. Suddenly, the television screen on top of Monokuma turned on. It displayed a huge wheel with everyone's name on it. A red arrow was beside it. Suddenly, the wheel began to spin. The wheel was spinning faster and faster until it slowed down and stopped with Kayle's name beside the arrow. Confetti appeared on the screen with the results of the voting.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Kayle Ito – 15 Votes**

**Answer: Kayle Ito**

**Correct!**

* * *

_We were right… She killed Ayumu. But, why? Why did she do it? _Everyone was shocked to find out they were right. It was truly their leader who killed one of them. Reyes suddenly collapsed on the floor and was having a hard time to breathe. People started to swarm over her to calm her down.

"Reyes, calm down. Deep breaths!" Jitsunori told her. Eventually, Reyes calmed down. However, she was heavily bothered by the realization her best friend killed Ayumu.

"Why!" Reyes asked. It was not just her who wanted to know. Hana was definitely angry at her.

"How could you kill Ayumu! What did he do to deserve to die! You piece of shit! You are a useless leader! Just tell us! Why the fuck kill Ayumu!" Hana angrily shouted at her. Hana was about to pounce over Kayle. Luckily, Jirou was in between the two girls.

"Calm down! We need to know why she killed him. Please tell us why." Jirou told Kayle.

Kayle, the one who has been quiet all the time, finally decided to speak for herself.

"It was supposed to be me who is dead, not Ayumu." Kayle shocked everyone with what she said. Hana calmed down as she listened to Kayle. Nobody could understand what she meant by what she said.

"What do you mean by it was supposed to be you?" Jitsunori asked.

"It is true. I prepared the poison and went to Ayumu using the route we figured out in this trial. However, I did not go to Ayumu to kill him." Everyone was still quiet. Nobody could say anything. Even Hana's anger died down.

"When Monokuma first told us about the motive, I thought I could go on doing nothing about it. But as days went by, I realized everyone here deserves to live. I could not sleep knowing fifteen people who deserve nothing but happiness will die in a matter of days. I knew I had to do something. That's when the idea of killing myself came to me." _What! She was willing to kill herself for us! _Everyone could not believe what they heard.

"When it was time for the party, I decided to kill myself. I knew some sort of trial was going to happen so I thought someone should see me kill myself. That is where Ayumu comes in. I told him everything at the party. He immediately agreed. I was about to spray myself when all of my courage started to disappear. I could not press the spray bottle. I was too weak!

I took some deep breaths. However, the fear of dying was still there. Out of nowhere, Ayumu grabbed my two hands and forced me to point the spray bottle at him. He put my right index finger on the trigger. He told me, 'Tell them the son of Zeus has sacrificed himself for everyone. They should live long and happily. And, tell Hana she is the strongest and sweetest person I had ever met and is thankful for everything. She has to live the longest and happiest out of everyone.'" Hana started to cry again from hearing Ayumu's last message.

"After that, he made me press the button by slightly pushing my right index finger. I pushed it further when he let go. After that, Ayumu was dead.

I was about to walk in the room and tell everyone I killed Ayumu. However, Monokuma threatened me. He told me that if I told everyone, he will still kill everyone thirty minutes after the party has ended." Kayle looked at the bear who was half-asleep. Monokuma suddenly woke up.

"Was that true?" Mako shouted.

"Of course! I will not let some five-foot-tall bitch control my game in the palm of her hands. Hell no that will happen!" Monokuma shouted.

"He told me to make the murder more complicated. I complied. I knew what I did was too complicated for everyone so I suggested that we do the investigation together so I could point out everything I used. However, not everyone went along with it." Kayle started to cry. _That was why she wanted to do it as a group_…_ She wanted to help us solve her murder._

"I am so sorry for bringing everyone so much trouble because of this." Kayle knelt down on the floor and cried as she felt guilty for bringing the group pain. Jitsunori, Mako, and Reyes went to her. They tried to comfort her as she wept in pain.

Surprisingly, Asuka went to her. "Stand up!" Asuka shouted.

"This is not the time." Jirou told her.

"No! I said stand up!" Asuka demanded. Kayle stood up as Asuka wished her to do. Kayle looked at her with tears in her eyes. Asuka looked at her straight to the eyes. Out of nowhere, she hugged her.

"You are one of the most selfless people I have ever met. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for all of us. I am so sorry for being mean to you! I am so sorry for treating you harshly!" Asuka apologized as she hugged Kayle.

"I am so sorry for being insensitive when we first met. I did not mean to be rude." Kayle cried.

A lot of them started to cry. Kayle had been one of the most helpful people. She always made herself available to help other people. Even though some hated her, she did not let that change how she treated everyone. She continued to become a great leader.

"Now that I have been outed as the blackened, I think I know what that means." Kayle said. She looked at Samuru and smiled at him.

"Did you bring your ax with you?" Kayle asked.

"Yes." Samuru replied.

"I think it is time for my execution." Kayle smiled as she said it as if it was nothing serious.

Reyes quickly ran towards Samuru. She tried to stop him. She drew out her epee. "Does she really have to be executed? She did it for all of us! Even Ayumu let her kill him! There has to be some sort of leniency with her case!" Reyes begged.

"I am sorry but rules are rules." Reyes did not let Samur get pass her. However, Samuru was too strong for her. He kicked her to the side leaving her unconscious. He slowly walked towards Kayle. Kayle bowed down as she was ready to receive her punishment. Samuru was ready to swing his ax when Monokuma suddenly stopped them.

"Wait a minute!" Monokuma shouted.

Everyone looked at him. "Even though I love your enthusiasm for your job Samuru, I have to stop you right there. In this game, you are a player, not an executioner. The one who will be doing the executing is me! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma shouted.

"I think everyone here was able to get some closure. I am so excited! The first execution of the game! I have a very special punishment for Kayle Ito, the Ultimate Tact! Let's give everything we got! It's punishment time!" Monokuma shouted. After that, a button came out from the ground. Monokuma hits it with the gavel in his hand.

A clamp came out of nowhere and was closed around Kayle's neck. It was attached to a chain. It dragged her out of the room. Kayle screamed as she was dragged out. Reyes woke up from the screams of Kayle. She tried to follow her but it was too fast.

The screen suddenly showed:

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Kayle Ito has been found guilty**

**How To Be Presidential 101**

**Kayle Ito**

**The Ultimate Tact Execution**

**-Used-**

* * *

The screen quickly changed what it was displaying. People watched it as they could do nothing about it.

* * *

**How To Be Presidential 101**

**Kayle Ito**

**The Ultimate Tact Execution**

**-Used-**

Kayle was being dragged by the clamp that was locked around her neck. She screamed as she felt the burn on her back as she was dragged on the floor like a mop. Her screams were loud and painful. Suddenly, she was dragged into the room with the door that had a red light bulb on top of it. The light bulb turned on as the door closed.

She was stuck in a dark room. The clamp around her neck was released. She felt relieved that the metal clamp was released. She let out a huge sigh when huge spikes suddenly were thrown at her. Her two legs and arms were impaled by the spikes attached to chains. Her blood ran through her limbs. She could not feel her extremities. Kayle could not do anything but scream in pain.

Suddenly, the walls around her fell down one by one. It was revealed that she was onstage with hundreds of Monokumas watching her. Suddenly, a box was checked on the screen. It was "Be late". She tried to stand up but she can't move her feet. Suddenly, the spikes started to move her like a puppet. Every move she made was painful. Each step she took felt like a muscle was being torn apart.

Eventually, she reached a podium with a paper on it. She was starting to feel light-headed and could not read what was written on the paper. Also, it was not helpful that her blood was staining the paper. She tried to make out some of the words but she was too weak to do so. Another box was checked on the screen. It said, "Do a bullshit speech".

The crowd was starting to boo her. She could not understand what was happening anymore. Suddenly, a red dot appeared. It was on her forehead. She did not notice it because of her present condition. The noise and the pain were too much for her to handle.

Behind the crowd was a Monokuma with a bazooka. It was the source of the red dot. Monokuma aimed the bazooka to her head. When the aim was right, he shot the bazooka. The nuke was quick and hit Kayle in the forehead. Upon impact, the nuke exploded obliterating Kayle completely. One last box was checked on the screen. It said, "Shot to the head".

* * *

Everyone froze to where they were standing. The sight was traumatic. Only a few were able to act as if nothing happened. Takashiro vomited after watching the execution. It was too much for his stomach to handle. Eri cried as she tightly gripped on her teddy bear. Reyes was lifeless. Seeing her best friend die like that was something she will never forget. JItsunori and Mako tried to comfort Reyes. However, they were as disturbed as Reyes was.

"What was that!" Manon shouted.

"Kayle's execution! What else could it be? Use your brain, bitch!" Monokuma shouted.

Jitsunori stepped forward. "Why did it have to be that gruesome?" Jitsunori asked. Monokuma grinned.

"It had to be so that I could see your reactions right now. Seeing everyone's reaction to the execution earlier, I have to make it more gruesome next time so that all of you will be filled with despair! Hahahahaha!" Monokuma shouted.

"How could you be so sure there will be a next time?" Mako shouted.

"Because I know all of you! I know every little detail about your life!" Monokuma teased everyone.

"Now that was done, I will leave everyone now to get my beauty sleep! Goodnight!" And just like that, Monokuma left.

One by one, the ultimates walked out of the room and went back to their quarters. It was a long night and everyone was exhausted from all of that happened. Nao and Umeko were left standing in the room.

"I think I will hit the bed already…" Umeko told Nao. Umeko left Nao.

Nao was standing on his podium blankly staring on the floor. _This cannot happen again. I just won't let this happen again. I cannot go through another trial like this. This is sadistic. Whoever is enjoying this must be crazy. I can't. _Suddenly, Nao sat on the floor as he buried himself in thoughts.

_What else could that bear throw at us? If he knows everything about us, he must know our secrets, wishes, families, friends, and enemies. He could use that against us. Someone will definitely bend if they were given the right motive._

Nao suddenly feared this realization. A few minutes later, he was starting to fall asleep. He knew he had to rest already. He stood up and went out of the trial room. He took the elevator and went back to the gymnasium. To his surprise, the room was clean. The shattered disco ball was gone. The food scattered on the floor were cleaned up. Ayumu's body was nowhere to be found as well.

"It was as if nothing happened." He walked out of the gymnasium. He felt thirsty and went to the kitchen. He went straight to the "Sweets" fridge since bottles of water are stored there. He quickly grabbed one and saw a box of cookies. It immediately reminded him of Ayumu.

_Even in his last moments, he was still in his persona of the protector of the weak. He was willing to sacrifice his life for everyone, just like Kayle. The two most selfless people are now gone. _Nao took the box of cookies and decided he will eat some.

He went out of the kitchen and saw Reyes sitting in the cafeteria. He decided to sit with her. Reyes noticed him and waved him a hello. "Hi! Can I sit with you?" Nao asked.

"Sure." Reyes answered.

Nao opened his box of cookies and started eating. It was silent. However, it was not awkward. The silence was what the two needed. He looked at Reyes who was still grieving for the loss of her best friend. _I hope she starts to feel better. It is devastating to lose someone really important. I have been there. It sucks._

Nao pushed the box of cookies to Reyes. "Do you want some?" Nao asked. Reyes looked at the box and grabbed one. "Thanks…" The two started to snack on the box of cookies together.

"Have you ever lost someone you truly care for?" Reyes asked.

Nao looked at her. Then, he went back to eating. "Yes." Nao simply answered.

"Who did you lose?" Reyes continued to ask. Nao stopped to think if he should answer.

"I lost my mom." Nao hesitated but he answered.

"How?" Reyes asked.

Nao faintly smiled at Reyes and said, "I would rather not talk about it."

"I understand." Reyes answered.

It was silent again. However, Reyes started sharing again. "I lost my first best friend due to food poisoning." Nao looked at her. Suddenly, Reyes started crying.

"Now, I have lost my second best friend. Am I not worthy of having a friend?" Reyes asked. She cried as she covered her face with her hands. Nao continued to eat as he listened to her. _This is the best I could do for her. All I could do is listen._

"It just feels like whenever I am happy, it gets taken away from me unjustly. Kayle did not deserve that. She was not executed. She was tortured. It was so unfair for her to experience that just because she thought to sacrifice herself for the sake of everyone else." Nao let Reyes pour out all of her emotions on him. _Bottling things up will make it feel even worse. _

"I will not let Monokuma get what he wants from us. I will not let Kayle's sacrifice go to waste!" Reyes declared and stood up. This made Nao worried about her.

"I think…I will go to sleep. Thank you Nao for listening to me. I really needed that." Reyes left him and Nao was left all alone to eat the box of cookies in the cafeteria. After he was finished eating, he fell asleep in the cafeteria.

He did not mind the cold touch of the table or the awkward position. He was too tired to stand up and walk to his room. The cold breeze in the cafeteria was enough for him to make him feel comfortable. His sleep lasted for hours until he decided to go back to his room. Half-awake, he walked to the door and opened it. Suddenly, he bumped into someone. It was Rei.

The clash made Nao fully awake especially since Rei's notebook fell and made a loud thud. Papers from her notebook scattered. Feeling he was responsible, he helped Rei in picking the papers up.

"I am sorry! I did not mean to!" Nao picked every piece of paper he could get.

"It's alright! I can pick it up myself!" Rei rushed to get every piece of paper.

Nao picked up every piece of paper he could to help. However, as he was picking up the pieces of paper, a note stood out.

"Why doesn't he remember anything? Why am I the only one who remembers anything?" Nao was stopped in picking up the pieces of paper. He looked at Rei who was panicking as she picked up her papers. Rei saw Nao and the paper he was holding. She quickly snatched it away from him. The two stood up and looked at each other.

"What do you know?" Nao asked.

Rei quickly ran away from him. Nao tried to follow but he was too tired and sleepy to catch up. He stopped in front of Rei's room. _She knows something…What is she hiding? _He knew that forcing her to open up will not get him anywhere. He decided to confront Rei after he takes a rest. It was futile for him to get the information if he was too tired to listen and remember it

He went back to his room and did not bother to change. The chase was exhausting. He slept with his daily clothes on. As he closed his eyes, his last thoughts before he fell asleep was "I need to find out what Rei is hiding."

* * *

**Who Killed The Disco Star? (Deadly Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 14**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist**

**Death Toll: 2**

* * *

**Thank you so much! That is the end for this chapter! I want to thank EmeraldGreenz for sending Kayle! She was really a great character to write. I wish I could have made her stay for a little longer but I have to kill her now for the sake of the plot.**

**I also want to congratulate Epifanio Therion and cryptidren for solving the murder! That was a fine collaboration you did!**

**Were you surprised with Kayle's reason? What are your thoughts about Rei's note? Sound them off in the reviews section.**

**Next update will be for a new chapter. I am so excited for it! **

**If you want to talk about this story, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile.**

**Thank you for reading! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	16. Oh Holy Night 1

**Hi guys! We are officially done with "Who Killed The Disco Star?". Now, we will start with a new chapter!**

**I am so excited! Here is the new update! Enjoy!**

* * *

In a dark room, Nao stood in the middle confused about what was happening. The room had no lights on. All Nao could do was stand and wait for something to happen. He could not hear anything other than his deep breaths. _What is happening? Where am I? _His mind raced with questions waiting to be answered.

Anxiety was starting to build up. Fear rushed through his body. The uncertainty was too much for him. _Please! Tell me what is happening! Can someone answer me! _He thought he was shouting. However, he was not. His thoughts were so loud he mistook it with his real voice.

Suddenly, a spotlight was turned on. It was directed to a wooden chair. It was a normal chair. Nothing was out of the ordinary about it. However, there was a weird shadow laying across the chair. Nao did not know what to do about it. He just stood there and waited for something else to happen.

Then, the spotlight moved. Its direction went up. Suddenly, a hanged body was visible. _Is that Ayumu? _The body's back was facing Nao. Because of this, Nao walked towards the body. Slowly, he made his way. His footsteps were loud. It was the only thing the broke the silence in the room. The closer he got, the more the suspense built.

When he was near the body, he slowly turned it to see who it was. Shocked, he fell to the floor. He could not say or do anything. His mind went blank. It was not Ayumu's face that he saw. It was the face of a woman he knew. It was a face he has not seen for a long time. It was a face he thought he would never see again.

* * *

"Wake up! It is morning! Just because you partied hard last night does not mean you can sleep hard!" Monokuma shouted through the audio system. Nao did not complain though. Actually, he was thankful for it. It had woken him up from a nightmare.

Nao stared at the wall as he tried to wrap around his head with what he had dreamt. _My nightmare is back. I thought it will never come back. I guess I will not be able to sleep well in the next few days again. This must be caused by seeing Ayumu like how I saw her before…the incident._

He sat on his bed as he tried to think about anything other than what he had dreamt. _Clear your mind, Nao. Clear your mind. You have gotten over it. It was in the past. Move on. You can move on again. You can forget it again. You don't need to keep reliving it. You don't need to do this to yourself again. I cannot believe I am thinking about this again. Calm down! Calm down! Stop!_

Nao tried to stop thinking about it. However, the more he forced himself, the more he was reliving it in his mind. Whenever he does stop thinking about his past, all he could think of was Ayumu. The last time he saw Ayumu was when Ayumu was hanged, just like the last time he saw a person dear to him. Now, he cannot stop associating Ayumu with his tragic past.

_No! I want to remember him as a happy person. I want to remember him laughing. I can't do this! He does not deserve this! _He tried to fight it but his past kept haunting him.

After a few minutes of silently fighting his own demons, he finally won over it. Eventually, the thought vanished. He was relieved. He did not want to face anyone thinking about that. _I have to act fine. It is my problem. It should not be anyone else's. _

However, after forgetting his past, a new demon in his mind came. _Ayumu and Kayle are really gone._ Now, all he could think about was the tragic death of his two acquaintances. _Those two were very kind. I cannot believe they are gone. Now, there will be two fewer people laughing in the cafeteria. I will definitely miss Ayumu's eccentric speeches and Kayle's soothing words._

After reminiscing on the past, Nao decided to finally get out of his bed and started getting ready for the day. He took a shower, brushed his teeth, and dressed himself up. Before he left, he took his tablet from his bedside table.

As he was holding his tablet, it suddenly vibrated. He opened and saw a new file was added. The file was found in the folder "Floor Plans". He decided to see what the file was containing. It contained the floor plan of the second floor. _Interesting…_

After reading, he decided to get out of his room and go to the cafeteria. As he was walking to the cafeteria, he noticed the stairs. It was not anymore blocked by bars. It was finally accessible. _I better check it out later. _He looked at it and noticed how clean it was. The stairs were made of white tiles with its grout clean and white. The walls were white as well. _Why does it look like it was just cleaned last night? Shouldn't it have at least dirt in the crevices of the tiles?_

Bothered by this, he decided to investigate the stairs further. He was about to make his first step on the stairs. However, someone suddenly called his name.

"Nao!" Umeko shouted as she waved hello to Nao. Nao turned around and waved back at her.

"Yes?" Nao asked as he walked towards her.

Umeko crossed her arms making it look like her tulle fabric was wrapped around her. "What were you doing?" She asked.

"I was going to investigate the stairs." Nao pointed at the stairs. Umeko looked at it and did not see anything wrong with it.

"Why? To me, it looks just like a flight of steps." Umeko asked.

"Doesn't it seem too clean?" Nao asked.

Umeko was still trying to understand where Nao was coming from. However, she could not really see anything wrong with the stairs. "I am sorry! It does not seem weird to me at all."

Nao understood Umeko. _Maybe I am just being too critical about it. _Nao told himself. He let go of his issue with the stairs choosing to believe nothing was wrong. After that, Nao stood in front and looked at her. _Did she just wake up, like me?_

"Did you just wake up?" Nao asked.

"Yup! I tried to wake up earlier to make everyone breakfast but I just could not. I was too drained from everything…last night." Umeko explained. It was apparent in Umeko's expression that she was heavily bothered by last night. Umeko began to stare at the floor. Realizing this, Nao put his right hand on her left shoulder.

"Do you still need some rest?" Nao asked.

Suddenly, Umeko snapped back to reality. She slapped her cheeks and smiled at him. "I am okay! I have to be okay! I have to! It is the only thing I can do to honor Ayumu and Kayle's sacrifice." Umeko told Nao.

"You don't have to push yourself too hard. Kayle will definitely start worrying if she saw you like this." Nao told Umeko. It was weird for them to talk about the two. It was as if they have accepted the two were gone. In fact, they were still trying to move on from it.

Umeko looked at her tablet. She shocked. "It is almost 7 o'clock! We need to hurry to make breakfast! People will start waking up soon!" Umeko told Nao. After that, they rushed to the cafeteria. As they opened the door, a great aroma greeted the two.

_This smells amazing!_ He looked at the room and saw food served on the table they usually hung out. There were only fourteen sets of utensils reminding the two Ayumu and Kayle's death. They looked around the cafeteria to see if anyone was around. "Who cooked these?" Umeko asked.

Umeko was talking about plates of scrambled eggs and strips of bacon. With each of the plates, there were slices of fruits. On two of the plates, there were delicious-looking granola bowls. _Whoever cooked these must have woken up really early for this. _Nao sat went near the table.

Suddenly, the door of the kitchen slowly creaked. The two looked at the door to see who it was. _That person must be responsible for this. _After a few seconds, the person was revealed to them. It was none other than Jirou. _What?_

Jirou was holding two pitchers of strawberry juice. Just like any other day, he still looked unapproachable. However, for today, he cooked for everyone. _What happened to him? _Jirou approached the two and set down the pitchers on the table. He standoffishly greeted the two. "What!"

Nao and Umeko looked at each other. They were still in disbelief. Jirou rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He was waiting for a response from the two. "Again, what?" Jirou asked.

Umeko cleared her throat. "You cooked this?" Umeko asked still wondering if they got the right impression.

"So what?" Jirou asked.

"Uhmmm…Sorry! It is just a bit out of character for you to cook for everyone. For the past few days, you have intentionally distanced yourself from us. Why suddenly cook for everyone now?" Umeko asked.

Jirou took out his rolled-up notebook from his pocket and put it on the table. He sat down and looked at the two. He started talking again. "I am going to be honest with both of you. After last night, I realized something. Working together is better than working alone." Jirou answered.

Nao did not believe it. However, he did not let his thought be seen by Jirou. "Hearing Kayle's last words, it made me realize that being a united group is what Monokuma does not want us to be. If we get along and work together, I am pretty sure a murder will not happen again." Jirou further explained.

Nao could feel Jirou was genuine. However, he could not deny it was weird hearing him like that. He did not sound like a douche for the first time. "I am glad you decided to work with everyone as a team. Kayle would have wanted this." Nao told Jirou.

"Ayumu and Kayle, those two were gifted. It is such a waste to lose great minds like them." Jirou said. _And there is the Jirou I know, only caring about people's academic aptitude. Some things never change. At least, he is being cooperative._

The two sat down with Jirou. Jirou told Umeko he prepared her and Rei a granola bowl since he did not know any other vegan breakfast meal. Umeko thanked him and started to dig in. One by one people started to come in.

The first person was Eri. She was hugging her bear, Honey. It was obvious she just woke up. She let out a loud yawn and rubbed her eyes. As soon as she was near the table, she was surprised to see Jirou. "Jirou?" Eri asked. Jirou explained his case to her as he did with Nao and Umeko. She accepted it and started to eat.

After Eri came were Jitsunori, Mako, and Reyes. Unlike before, they were silent. It was obvious that it was because of Kayle's death. Those three were the closest to Kayle, especially Reyes. Just like Eri, they were surprised to see Jirou. "What are you doing here?" Reyes asked.

"Why? I can't eat with everyone? I was the one who cooked these for our breakfast." Jirou told the three.

"What suddenly made you change your mind?" Jitsunori asked.

"Kayle…" Jirou simply answered.

Jirou's answer made the three smile. Reyes was starting to get teary-eyed. It was not because of sadness but because of happiness. They were happy to see other people cared about Kayle. Reyes went to him and hugged him. "She has always wanted you to be part of the group!" Reyes told Jirou.

Jirou quickly tried to get out of Reyes' hug. "Just because I am trying to stand all of you does not mean you can hug me." Jirou told the group. Reyes and Jitsunori laughed.

"Kayle would be smiling right now seeing you try." Mako told him. The three took a seat and started eating as well.

After a few minutes, Takashiro and Samuru entered. It was weird seeing the two to walk in together. They were not really close. People never saw them interact with each other that much. As they walked in, they were laughing with each other. Takashiro was using Tori-chan. Whatever Takashiro was doing, it was making Samuru laugh loudly. Everyone looked at them. Unknowingly, those two continued with their banter.

"Mr. Yagyuu, what other stories do you have?" Takashiro asked using Tori-chan.

"I am afraid I am out of stories to tell that you can handle." Samuru told Takashiro as he patted him on the head.

"What a bummer! I really wanted to hear more of your tales with prisoners!" Takashiro added.

The two finally reached the table and sat down in their usual spot. After sitting down, the two finally noticed Jirou. Samuru was apprehensive about Jirou joining the group. "You have finally decided to join the group?" Samuru asked with a questioning tone.

"After everything that happened last night, I thought it would be best to join the group." Jirou answered. Samuru chuckled from hearing Jirou's answer. Jirou raised his right eyebrow from seeing the executioner's reaction.

"What did that laugh mean?" Jirou asked. Samuru recomposed himself before answering the mathematician.

"All you needed was to see the negative effects of being alone to join the group. You are not as logical as I thought you were." Samuru was blunt in giving his answer. Obviously, Jirou was furious hearing Samuru's thoughts. _Honestly, I think he is only angry because of being called illogical. _

Jirou pointed at Samuru. "You better shut the fuck up. You do not know what you are going to bring out from me."

"What am I going to bring out of you by giving my opinion? A killer? If so, always remember that I execute murderers as a job." Samuru warned Jirou. The tension between the two was growing. The two were furiously staring at each other. The light mood the table had was gone. Luckily, Umeko cut the tension by asking a question.

"What do you mean by 'negative effects of being alone'?" Umeko asked.

The two stopped looking at each other and directed their attention to Umeko. _I don't know if Umeko intended to do that but it was a good thing she did. If she had not, a plate of food has flown across the room by now. _

Samuru answered her question. "Kayle acted as our leader. She was great. She helped everyone in any way she could. However, her downfall was that she carried the burden alone. She was always with us but she was alone in trying to solve the group's problem. She could have asked for help or advice but she never did. It was because she thought she needed to solve everyone's problem alone. If she had, things would be different by now."

Samuru looked at Jirou to see if he agreed with his reaction. "He is right. If even one of us had said something to Kayle, it would have probably helped her make a better choice." Jirou told Umeko.

"As we are saying this, we are not trying to put Kayle in a bad light. I think I could also say that about Jirou. Kayle was a great person. She will definitely be missed by everyone." Samuru told the group. After that, the group went back to eating their meals.

After a few seconds, Asuka and Manon came in. Asuka was still sleepy. She kept on yawning as she walked. Actually, it seemed more like Manon dragging Asuka with her. She held Asuka's hand as she dragged Asuka to the table. The group was definitely curious about Manon dragging Asuka. _Why is Asuka awake? She usually shows up to the group minutes before lunch. Did Manon wake her up? _Manon put Asuka on the rocker's usual place. After that, she sat down to where she is normally seated.

The group looked at Asuka who was still too sleepy to even lift up a fork to pick up a slice of bacon. _She still looks like she could use more time to sleep. _Asuka almost fell asleep on her plate when Manon stood up and went to Asuka. Suddenly, she pinched her on the ear. Immediately, Asuka was awoken.

"Ouch! Thank you Manon!" Asuka told Manon. Manon went back to her seat and started eating. Because of that, everyone was more curious about the two.

"What was that?" Jirou asked.

"I told Manon to wake me up earlier than I usually do. I have to be able to help more. However, it is a fucking battle. My body fucking wants to lie more on my bed. If I want to make sure that the shit that happened last night will not happen again, I have to make sure my ass is doing everything to help." Asuka answered.

"She forced me to do it. Don't ask how she did it." Manon told as she tried to eat her breakfast.

"I knocked on her door last night until she agreed to help me." Asuka laughed as she told the group. _Even Asuka is trying to change. Ayumu and Kayle must have truly affected everyone. I sure hope their attempts to change will be maintained and not be just a spur of the moment. The group will truly need to be united if we want to prevent another murder._

After the two girls, nobody came anymore. The group continued to eat. Eventually, the group was finished eating. Asuka, Manon, and Samuru were the first ones to go. They told the group they will be exploring the new floor. After the three were Eri and Takashiro. The two decided to go to the new floor as well.

The only people left were Jirou, Jitsunori, Mako, Nao, Reyes, and Umeko. Jitsunori and Reyes volunteered to clean the table and wash the dishes. Surprisingly, Jirou was talking to Umeko in the corner about environmental science. _Being an environmentalist is not just activism. You have to be informed of many things to know what is best for the environment. I guess Jirou has realized that._

Mako and Nao were left at the table across each other. Mako was smiling at Nao as Nao looked at them. _Mako really seems to be energetic and free-spirited. I wonder what goes on inside his mind. _Because of this, Nao decided to get to know more Mako.

"Hi! I think it is our first time talking to each other alone." Nao told them.

Mako paused to think about what Nao told him. "You are right! I have always been together with Mako, Reyer,…or Kayle." After saying Kayle's name, they tried to shrug it off by smiling. Nao did not want to point it out. _I do not want to make this awkward._

"Whenever I am with you, you talk a lot." Nao pointed it out.

"Really? I am sorry! I did not mean to! I just say whatever comes into my mind. I try to limit what I say but I guess I still have a problem with it. If I overtalk whenever talking to you, do not hesitate to tell me. I do not want to make you uncomfortable! I just want both of us to have a great time talking to each other." Mako said.

Nao looked at him. "Shoot! I did it again, didn't I? I did not mean to!" Mako said as he tried to shut up and let Nao talk. Nao giggled seeing this.

"You are very energetic!" Nao commented.

"I try to! I do not want anyone to feel drained being with me! I want them to feel lively as I talk to them and after talking to them. I do not want to be a downer raining on everyone's parade. I want to be like a beach at night, fun and inviting!" Mako replied.

"You really are fun to talk to. You must have plenty of friends at school who hung out with you!" Nao told Mako. Immediately, Nao noticed Mako's sudden change in mood. He was still smiling but he knew it was a bit forced.

"Actually, I was not really popular at school. A lot of people bullied me to the point I dropped out of school." Mako told Nao. This surprised him. _What? Mako was bullied? Who would bully them? Mako is a great person. _Nao could not believe this. Because of this, he decided to discover more about Mako's past.

"Why were you bullied?" Nao asked.

"Hahahahaha! That is an interesting question. Well, it had to do something about my past and my fondness with the ocean." Mako answered.

"Would you mind if you tell me more about this?" Nao asked.

"Not really. It has been quite a long time." After saying that, Mako prepared to tell their story to Nao.

"Even when I was just a kid, I already had a thing for the ocean. I was always on the beach near the ocean. It just felt like home to me whenever I am near the ocean. I love the waves crashing down on my feet as I stand on the sand and bask in the sunlight. To me, nothing was wrong with me liking the ocean.

However, people thought I was weird not just solely because of loving the ocean. It was…hmmm…It was because of my mom's death. My mom owned a shack on a beach. Near it was our house. One faithful day, it was stormy and the sea level rose to the point it was able to sweep my mom away. After that, we never saw her again and assumed she was dead.

People thought I should have developed a fear of the ocean or something. However, I never did. Actually, it made me more passionate about it. I wanted to understand how it worked. I wanted to learn how to swim in different situations. Basically, that was when my interest in learning what a lifeguard should do started to grow.

My response to my mom's death was odd to everyone. Because of that, my classmates started bullying me. I did not let it bother. They called me names. People have purposefully tricked me. One time, a person took the book about the ocean that I borrowed from our library and ripped it in front of me. It was annoying since I had to pay for it.

I tried to contain what I was feeling. However, one day, people ganged up on me and beat me up. They broke my nose and made my left ear bleed. I told the authorities of what happened to me but they were harsher on me. They said I started the fight and some did not believe me because I was bigger and taller than my bullies.

After that, I have had enough of my classmates. After two years, I decided to drop out. After that, I lived happier. I never regretted my decision. I was finally free from my classmate's judgments. I thought to myself that if I people will not respect my passion, then I will find a place where people will. And, that is what I exactly did. I became a lifeguard and people respected me and my job." Mako finished telling Nao his story.

_Wow! He never let his bullies get to him. Instead of constantly fighting, he chose to get himself out of the situation he was in. My respect for him truly grew._

"That is what happened to me. It was in the past. I do not really tend to dwell on it as much as I could. I want to face the future without any doubts or regrets! Hahahahaha!" Mako told Nao. After that, the two continued to talk. Nao brought up his daily routine as a N.E.E.T. Definitely, Mako was interested in hearing what Nao usually does.

After some time, Jitsunori and Reyes went out of the kitchen and was finished washing the plates. The two went to Mako. "Lat's explore the new floor!" Jitsunori told Mako. Mako agreed to join and said goodbye to Nao. After that, Nao was left alone.

Umeko was still talking to Jirou about the environment. He could see Jirou taking down notes with his ballpen and the notebook he got from the storage room. _Jirou really wants to achieve his goal, doesn't he? _

Nao looked around the room. Suddenly, the door of the cafeteria opened. It was Rei who opened it. _I have to talk to Rei. _As soon as Rei saw Nao, she immediately went out of the room. Nao did not want Umeko to notice him chasing Rei.

Quickly, he was able to catch up to Rei. He blocked Rei's path and made her stop. Rei was nervous seeing Nao. Her hands were visibly shaking as she hugged her notebook even more. _What is it with her notebook? She must be hiding more than what I saw. _

"What are you hiding?" Nao asked.

Rei could not say anything. Her lips trembled. She was looking at different directions trying to see if anyone could help her get her out of the situation. No matter what, she did not look at Nao. All she did was avert her gaze on Nao. "I-I-I don't know what you are talking about!" She tried to feign ignorance.

"Why are you pretending? We both know I saw something written in that notebook of yours." Nao continued to pressure Rei to talk.

"Uhmmm…You must have…uhmmm…seen it…wrong. It was very late." Rei still tried to pretend.

"'Why doesn't he remember anything? Why am I the only one who remembers?'" Nao uttered what he said. That made Rei panic more. It was getting too stressful for her. She could not think of anything other than to blankly stare at the floor._ I am not going to get anything from her if this continues._

Unwillingly, he let Rei go. "Don't think I am done trying to get the information I want from you." Slowly, he walked away from Rei while Rei sighed and slowly sat down on the floor.

_This is going to be hard. If Rei is not going to be cooperative, I will get nothing from her. I have to make her talk. She might know something very important. I want to ask other people's help but if more people try to force Rei, the more she might not give out the information I want. _

After that, he went back to the cafeteria. To his surprise, it was only Umeko who was there. As soon as she saw Nao, she waved hello at Nao. Nao walked to her and sat down in front of her. "Where is Jirou?" Nao asked.

"He actually left seconds after you did. He said he learned enough for the day. He wanted to talk to me more about the environment tomorrow." Umeko answered.

"Are you going to meet him tomorrow?" Nao asked.

"As long as he does not ask me to teach him as Kayle did, I will be okay with it. I may know a lot about environmental science but I cannot teach it like a teacher." Umeko answered.

"I admire his determination to learn." Nao told Umeko.

"Me too! I will never be like him studying out of classes." Umeko added. They continued to talk about Jirou and his surprising preparation of breakfast. After that, Umeko suddenly wanted to ask Nao something.

"Why did you follow Rei outside earlier?" Umeko asked.

Nao was shocked. He thought Umeko did not notice it. _I do not want to lie to her but I have to keep it a secret for now. _"It was nothing really. I saw a note fell from her notebook and followed her to give it back." Nao hoped it was enough to keep her silent about the situation earlier.

"I see! Good thing you were able to give her the note back! It might have been very important to her!" Umeko commented. _It looks like she believes me. I hope she does._

Talking about Jirou, it made them talk about other people who are very distant to the group. "Norio, what could be his deal?" Umeko asked.

"I don't know. Generally, he does not care about anything but when his life is on the line, he starts moving with the group." Nao gave his most honest opinion on Norio.

"I think he would be a greater help if he cooperates with everyone. Last night, he was the one who fully convinced Reyes it was Kayle who…killed…Ayumu." Umeko told Nao. Nao tried to remember what Norio did. _He was actually the one who did convince Reyes. He even cut me off to answer Reyes. If anything happens again, I hope he will become dependable._

As they were talking about Norio, Nao suddenly realized something. "Did Hana eat with us?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko thought for a second before she answered.

"I don't think she did." Umeko answered. This made Nao worry about her.

"That is troubling. She usually eats with us for every meal. I think we should check up on her." Nao suggested. Umeko immediately agreed. Umeko grabbed a granola bowl, a spoon, and some sliced fruits to bring for Hana. They walked to Hana's room.

Nao knocked on her door three times. "Hana are you awake? We just want to check up on you!" Nao shouted. After a few seconds, the door slowly opened. It revealed Hana who was fully awake but her eyes were sore, probably from crying. Nao did not know how to handle the situation. He let Umeko handle it.

"Hey, are you hungry?" Umeko asked. Hana simply nodded. Umeko gave her the food she brought for Hana.

"Here, we thought you might be hungry and brought you some food." Hana took the food and put it inside her room. As soon as she came back to the front of the door, she closed it. _Hana is really grieving over Ayumu's death. _

"I think we should just let her be for now." Nao told Umeko.

"I agree. We should give her some time to move on." Umeko said as she looked at the pixelated icon of Hana hung on Hana's door.

After that, the two walked around the first floor. Soon, they became bored. Umeko suddenly had an idea. "Let's explore the second floor together just like how we did on the first floor." Umeko suggested.

"Sure! As long as there are no trapdoors, I think I will be fine this time." Nao joked. Umeko slapped him on his right arm.

"What was that for?" Nao commented as he rubbed the area Umeko slapped.

"It was an accident, remember?" Umeko told Nao.

Nao tried to pretend he did not know what Umeko was saying. Umeko became easily annoyed by it. Nao laughed at her from seeing her reaction. _Umeko is fun to tease around. Her reaction is priceless. I should do this to her more often. _

"Hey! It was an accident!" Umeko repeatedly claimed.

"I know! It was just an accident." Nao said.

"Then why did you make me repeat myself?" Umeko asked.

"I don't know. You were fun to tease and you looked adorable doing it. Hahahaha!" Nao answered. Umeko suddenly grew red from hearing Nao. _Why is she blushing? I guess I made her too embarrassed. I should change the topic._

"Let's get on with our exploration?" Nao told Umeko. Umeko nodded. The two went to the second floor. Immediately, they noticed the clean stairs. The crevices between the tiles did not have any dirt. The walls were clean. Nothing was covered in dust. _I was right with my observation earlier. Now that I have confirmed it, my question now is who made this place clean._

As soon as they stepped on the second floor, they immediately noticed the interior design of it. It was grand. The walls were adorned with silver and gold intricate patterns. The floor was made of tiles with a rose gold color. Its design was soft and pleasing to the eyes. On the ceiling, they immediately saw a chandelier hanging. It had crystals dripping from it.

"This floor is nothing compared to the first floor!" Umeko claimed. Nao agreed. The floor looked like a normal high school building. However, this floor felt like it can be found from a millionaire's mansion. _This floor must have been expensive to make. A chandelier like that could have cost thousands of dollars. What else does this floor have for us?_

Nao and Umeko continued walking. Immediately, they saw something weird on the walls of the hallway. "Why are these here?" Umeko asked.

The two were looking at pictures of everyone on the wall. The photos were in black and white. All of them were not smiling and were only staring at them. _What are these photos for? Everyone looks like they were forced to take these pictures. _

Eventually, Nao saw his photo on the wall. _When did I take this photo? What am I even wearing in that photo? I don't have that in my closet at home. _In his picture, he was directly looking at the camera wearing a uniform the same as everyone. He knew he did not have a uniform like that nor have taken the photo.

"I have never taken this photo. Is this edited?" Umeko commented as she looked at her photo. Nao went to her.

"You too?" Nao asked.

"You don't remember taking this picture as well?" Umeko asked. Nao nodded.

"I know I have never taken this photo in my life." Nao told Umeko.

"Whoever kidnapped us must have edited this or something. It is the only possible reason why these pictures exist." Umeko tried to reassure herself. _It must be what Umeko said. It has to be. If it isn't, I will just think of it like how Umeko said it. _

After staring at the pictures, the two decided to continue exploring the floor. They first arrived in front of two huge wooden doors. It had ornate patterns carved on it. The two pushed the door open. As they walked in, they realized the room was a huge library.

Near the door was a front desk. It had a map of the library. The two looked at it. It had hundreds of shelves filled with books. The library was divided into different sections. There was history, math, science, fiction, etc. From the way the map was drawn, the library looked like a maze. Without a map, people will be easily lost.

The two took a map and decided to go to the reading area. The two tried to stick together so that they would not lose each other. Eventually, they reached the area. It was in the middle of the library. The reading area was composed of tables with desk lamps for each chair that could occupy the table.

"This library is big and up to date. It even has a computer area." Umeko pointed out on the map.

"It feels like every book in the world can be found here." Nao declared. Suddenly, Monokuma appeared in front of the two.

"Actually, we have a copy of every book published. We even have 'The Codex of Leicester', a notebook of Leonardo Da Vinci filled with his scientific observations. Fun fact, there is only one copy of this in the world. It was bought by Bill Gates but for some reason, we were able to obtain it. Hahahahaha!" Monokuma explained. _That sounds fake but seeing how big this library is, I will not be surprised that what he said was true._

"Enjoy your hearts out reading in this library! Hahahaha!" After Monokuma's laugh died down, he disappeared again.

"Woah! Hope's Peak Academy is really powerful. To have every published book in their library must have taken a lot of time and resources." Umeko said.

After spending time in the library, the two decided to move on and go to another room. The next room had a bright yellow door. It was quaint, especially when compared to the floor's design. The two opened it and discovered it was a room for making any visual arts.

The room was a bit messy. There were canvases on easels with paints on palettes. Brushes were contained in tin cans in front of each canvas. Also, there was a table with saws, hammers, and nails on top of it. Sawdust covered the top of the table. Chunks of wood were under it. In the corner was a turning table made for clay pottery. There was a clay pot on top of it. In front of the room was an unfinished sculpture. It looked like it still had a long way to go. Near it was chisels and mallets. Bits of plasters were scattered around the unfinished sculpture. On the wall were different tools such as big mallets, scissors, and cutters.

"This room…" Umeko could not find the word to say.

"…is dangerous." Nao added. Umeko looked at him.

"Yup! There are a lot of sharp tools for slicing and mallets for pounding. I do not want to imagine what people could do using these tools but they are just that dangerous for our situation." Umeko explained further.

"We should tell this to the others." Nao said. Umeko agreed. After that, they went out of the room. The next room they went to was the next room. It had a wooden door. Unlike the doors of the library, it was plain and small. Nao slowly opened it to see another messy room.

It was small and had shelves filled with different materials. The two checked the materials to find out what the shelves held. They inspected each shelf and ended up with the same conclusion. "This is an art supply room." Nao told Umeko.

"There are lots of cans of paints. I think there are hundreds of colors to choose from. I saw eight shades of pink and twenty variations of white." Umeko told Nao.

"There are also cans of paint thinner and varnish. I also saw defective tools like bent saws and chipped mallets. I also saw sacks of clays and plasters." Nao added to Umeko's observation.

"I think this room should also be classified as dangerous." Umeko declared. Nao agreed. _People might use things here to kill other people. Monokuma sneakily laid potential weapons on this new floor._

After being satisfied with their assessment of the room, they went to the next room. The next room had a door identical to two other doors near it. Its edge was made of wood and was painted white. In the middle of it was a mirror. _Why does this have a mirror?_

The two opened the door. The first thing they noticed was a sign on the wall saying "Quarantine Room 1". There was nothing significant about the room. The walls were white. There were two white beds with white blankets and white pillows. In the middle was a bedside table with a lamp on it.

"Why does this school have a quarantine room?" Nao asked.

"This is dull. If I am sleeping in here sick, I don't feel like I will get better. I will feel like I will pity myself more for being sick. The room does not feel like it can encourage patients to get better." Umeko gave her opinion.

"I would rather stay in my room if I get sick than stay here." Nao said. Umeko laughed at Nao's remark. The two were ready to leave. They turned around. Suddenly, they noticed something. The door's mirror became a transparent glass.

"Isn't that supposed to be a mirror?" Umeko pointed out.

"It should be a mirror." Nao walked to the door. He opened it and looked at the other side of it. It was a mirror from the outside but it was a transparent glass from the inside of the room. _Is this a two-way mirror?_

"I think this is a two-way mirror." Nao told Umeko.

"That is weird…Why have a two-way mirror on the door of a quarantine room?" Umeko asked. Nao does not know what to answer.

The two left the room and entered the other two rooms. The two other rooms were the same as the first quarantine room. The two were numbered as two and three. _So far, this school has seven beds for the sick. We have six beds from the quarantine rooms and one bed in the clinic._

After that, the two walked out and went to another room. The room's door was guarded by two statues with holding spears. Beside the statues were potted plants. The door was black with a golden doorknob. Its edges have gold metal plates sculpted into intricate details. _This room must be special if the door is this extravagant._

The two opened the door. They saw displays of different items. There were paintings hung on the wall. _Is that Mona Lisa? Wait, that has to be Girl With A Pearl Earring. That is Salvador Dali's work, The Persistence of Memory. Why does this room have these paintings? _Other than paintings, there were also sculptures depicting different moments in time. There were also framed documents. On top of stands were different antiquities such as porcelain vases and dolls.

"Is this a museum?" Umeko asked.

Seeing that the items were arranged and labeled like in a museum, Nao had to agree with Umeko. It was as if they were in an exhibit. The objects were properly arranged and the place looked like it was well maintained just like any museum would be.

"Whoever collected these items for the school must be rich." Nao told Umeko.

"Why do you say that?" Umeko asked.

"The paintings alone could cost up to hundreds of millions of dollars. Thinking that the other items are as expensive as the paintings, the person who collected these must have spent a lot to get everything in this room." Nao explained. Umeko understood.

After seeing everything they could from the museum, the two went out of the room and looked at the next room. The next room had a vault for a door. On the vault was a note. It said "Do not close the vault when inside. The room has no vents."

"That sounds ominous." Umeko commented from reading the note. Nao turned a wheel to open the door. It was hard since the wheel would not turn smoothly. After putting effort into pushing, Nao was able to open.

"I will never open this again." Nao looked inside and saw mannequins dressed in different clothes. Pieces of jewelry were also adorned on the mannequins. There was a necklace with a big piece of sapphire. Another mannequin had an earring with huge pearls. Some mannequins had wigs. One mannequin had a clamp completely covered in diamonds.

"These are very expensive pieces of clothes. I cannot believe they have this fur coat. This is a collector's item. Only three of these were sold." Umeko told Nao.

"You know a lot of things about fashion." Nao told Umeko.

"Of course, I do! Whenever my group makes a music video, our agency would make us wear outfits that can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. One time, I was put into a pair of stilettos inspired by white owls. After we were done shooting the video, I asked my stylist how much it cost. She told me it was worth seventy thousand dollars. After that, I have never asked my stylist how expensive I was wearing." Umeko explained. _It is only natural to have artists wear branded clothes. It is part of building the artist own style._

After seeing all of the clothes, the two went out of the vault. Nao closed it with ease. _It is easier to close than to open. _The two went to the nearest room. It had a black sliding door. Nao slid it open and saw a theater. There were hundreds of red empty seats. In front of the seats was a huge stage. It also had a white backdrop. _This theater must have been used for films and plays._

The two cautiously made their way to the stage. The room was poorly lit. At one point, Umeko stumbled. Good thing Nao was able to catch her. "Are you alright?" Nao asked Umeko as he tried to make sure Umeko will be able to stand properly.

"Yes, I am fine. Sorry!" Umeko was able to stand properly.

Once they were on the stage, they quickly went to the backstage. There, they saw various costumes propped up. There were also props all over the backstage. There were swords, bows and arrows, axes, and masks. Nao picked up one of the swords. He thought it was made of plastic. However, he was wrong. "This is a really sharp sword." Nao told Umeko as he showed it to her.

"Put that down! You might accidentally slash something." Umeko advised Nao.

Nao quickly threw it onto the floor. He looked around and saw boxes of wigs and luggage that actually contained make-up. There were vanity mirrors as well. _It looks like the backstage of a professional theater._

"This is another room to be worried about." Umeko told Nao.

After that, they put all of the weapons to the side so that nobody will easily notice them. When everything sharp was hidden, the two went out of the room and went to the last room found on the floor. It was another classroom. It was named 1-C.

The room was identical to the two classrooms found on the first floor. Nao looked around to see if anything was different. He wanted to see if anything was hidden. However, he found nothing. The room was normal and nothing to be suspicious of.

After that, the two went out of the room and went back to the cafeteria. The two talked about everything they found out in their exploration. However, there was one thing they could not get out of their minds. It was the pictures.

"We both know we did not take those photos. There is a high possibility everyone did not take those photos as well." Nao told Umeko.

Jitsunori, who was sitting near the two, could not help but overhear their conversation. He decided to join.

"Hi! I heard you were talking about the pictures." Jitsunori told the two.

"Yes, we are. We know we did not take those photos. What about you?" Umeko asked Jitsunori.

"Mako, Reyes, and I did not take those photos as well. We do not remember taking those photos. It is quite concerning. Reyes and I actually wanted to gather everyone to discuss everything about the new floor." Jitsunori told the two.

"I think that is a great idea. There might be people who know what those pictures were." Umeko said. Nao wanted to agree with Umeko. However, he thinks that no one remembers taking the photo, possibly except Rei.

"Let's talk about this over dinner." Jitsunori told the two. The two agreed. Jitsunori left the two after that.

"I will go around and tell everyone about our plan for tonight." Jitsunori shouted before he left the cafeteria.

Nao and Umeko were left alone. They had nothing more to do. Nao looked at the clock and it was almost time for lunch. He asked Umeko if they should start cooking. Umeko agreed. The two went into the kitchen and started preparing for the meal.

As Nao was preparing, all he could think of were the pictures and Rei. _Those two are surely mysterious. I hope Rei will soon cooperate with me. If she wants to survive, she has to do everything she can to help the group._

* * *

**That is it for this update! I hope you have enjoyed reading it!**

**What did you think of everything that happened? Sound them off in the reviews.**

**I also want to thank those who have been so supportive of my story!**

**Anyway, that is all for now! Thank you for taking the time to read!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	17. Oh Holy Night 2

**Hello guys! It has been a while since I touched this story. I want to share that I might become like this again. There may be times I will post rapidly and then suddenly vanish for personal reasons. Now, I am back to a hundred percent!**

**I hope everyone will enjoy this!**

* * *

It was getting late. After touring around the available floors and hanging out with anyone, Nao and Umeko had decided to go to the cafeteria. The two were already getting hungry and thought the others might be. Because of this, the two decided that they should start cooking dinner.

Nao wondered if Jirou will plan to help in cooking dinner as well. He looked over at Umeko who was walking beside him to the cafeteria. "Do you think Jirou will help in cooking dinner?" Nao asked.

Umeko did not know what to say. "I do not know Nao. He did not tell me anything when I was teaching him about environmental science. If he does decide to help, it would be great!" Umeko tried to answer Nao even though she was uncertain about it as well.

"Do you think he is genuine about wanting to be part of the group?" Nao asked. Umeko stopped walking. She crossed her arms and looked up at the ceiling. She tried to process her thoughts on Jirou's declaration earlier.

Umeko finally decided to answer. "I think so…He does not really have a reason to lie about it. If he joined us even though he is scheming against us, wouldn't it hurt him as well? We will be able to monitor all of his actions if he is always with us." Nao tried to think about Umeko's response.

_She does have a point. If Jirou decides to join the group more, we will be able to monitor his actions more. He will have a harder time to deceive us. I still do not know what to think. It just seems so odd that he suddenly decides to be part of the group. I guess I will just have to be wary of his actions. _Nao finally decided to do the conclusion he has reached. He did not want to antagonize Jirou to Umeko so he decided to let the topic go to rest.

The two continued walking towards the cafeteria. Umeko was already planning on what to cook. Nao decided to listen so that he will be able to understand what she wanted. Carefully, Umeko told Nao the step by step procedure of making vegan flapjacks. She wanted him to cook it.

"You are a great baker! You will definitely make it yummy!" Umeko patted Nao on the back. Nao decided to agree with Umeko's plan. _I do not see any problem with cooking flapjacks. Plus, I do not really have any idea of what to cook. I think it would be best to just let Umeko take the reins on this one. _Nao nodded to Umeko's plan.

"Yeah! I have been craving for some flapjacks for days!" Umeko shouted. Nao looked at her.

"Why do you like flapjacks so much?" Nao asked Umeko. Umeko continued to look straight at their path as she answered his question.

"It is not like it is my favorite but I have been craving it. It might be because I have been away from my mother for so long. She would cook me some for snacks. Actually, the recipe I gave you was hers." Umeko looked at Nao as she smiled at him.

Suddenly, Nao felt pressured. "I hope I make it just the way your mom would make it." Nao told Umeko.

"I do not think you will have a hard time with it. You can bake well. And, I like your cooking!" Umeko complimented Nao. Nao began to blush.

Umeko noticed this and tried to poke fun on Nao. "Why are you blushing?" Umeko asked.

_I am? _Nao was clueless he was blushing. "I am blushing?" Nao asked.

"Yes, you are! You look adorable! Hahahaha!" Umeko exaggerated it. Nao started to blush more.

"Okay, stop saying stuff like that." Nao told Umeko.

"Stuff like what?" Umeko asked.

"Stuff like my cooking is great or…I'm adorable." Nao's voice grew softer saying the last part. Umeko realized what she said. She suddenly became uncomfortable as well thinking about what she said.

"I am so sorry!" Umeko told Nao.

"It is okay. You did not mean to." Nao told Umeko. After that, the walk became silent. Umeko was uncomfortable with the sudden shift of mood. She just wanted to keep it light-hearted and fun, not awkward and quiet.

"During our stay here, is this your first time to cook for people other than your family? To me, it seems like you are not used to hearing compliments about your food even though your food, especially your bakes, is delicious." Umeko asked.

Nao immediately knew what to answer. "It is. I usually cook only for myself at home. I would just create something from the goods we have in our fridge."

"What about your parents? Do they taste your food?" Umeko asked. Nao tried to not let Umeko notice his sudden shift of mood.

"Well, my father comes home rarely so he never gets to taste his food." Nao told Umeko.

Umeko noticed how hard it was for Nao to answer her question. Because of that, she decided to let it go and continue walking to the cafeteria.

The two were definitely expecting no one was in the cafeteria yet. However, as they opened the door and entered the room, they immediately noticed someone was already sitting at the table the group usually eat at. The person was none other than Samuru.

In front of him was the table neatly set up. There were already plates and utensils arranged properly on the table. Beside him on the bench was his battle-ax laying on top of it. He had his arms crossed as he blankly stared at the wall.

Nao and Umeko approached the executioner slowly. As soon as they were in front of him, Umeko waved her hand in front of Samuru. Samuru did not budge. _He must be deep in thoughts to not react to that. What is he thinking about? If I have to guess, it must be the new floor._

Nao decided to snap his fingers in front of Samuru and call him. "Samuru!" Suddenly, the executioner snapped back to reality. He stopped staring and looked at the two. He tried to force a smile. However, it just made it look like he was worried about something.

"What were you thinking about so intensely?" Umeko asked.

Samuru quickly replied, "I was thinking about the new floor. Quite a peculiar room, isn't it?" _I guess I was right. He must be bothered by the pictures as well. I think it is safe to assume now that nobody remembers taking the photos._

"It is very strange. The design is quite extravagant for a school even for Hope's Peak Academy." Nao added. The other two agreed. After that, nobody talked. It was awkward. Nao looked at Umeko hoping she would bring up something to talk about. _Umeko, say something._

Luckily, Umeko intended to ask Samuru before he even looked at her. "Did you set this up?" Umeko pointed at the table. Samuru looked and smiled.

"I did set these. I wanted to help Asuka." Samuru pointed at the door of the kitchen.

"She is already here?" Umeko asked.

"Yes. She wanted to start cooking to help the group out. Seeing her, I thought I should help at least with something. Because of that, I decided to set up the table." Samuru explained. _Wow! Asuka is really trying to become more responsible for the group. I hope she continues this!_

"She really is trying! I am so proud of her!" Umeko exclaimed.

Samuru looked at the direction of the kitchen. "Yes, she is. I do think she does not know how to cook anything vegan for you and Rei. I would suggest you help her with that." Samuru told Umeko. Umeko understood what he meant.

"I guess I will go check up on her." Umeko said. After that, she walked to the kitchen and went in to start helping the rocker. Nao was left with the executioner. He looked at the executioner who was again lost in his thoughts. Slowly, he sat down in front of him.

It was awkward. Neither of the two talked. Nao was not enjoying it. _I hate this feeling. It feels like we are avoiding each other. I should start a conversation with him but what should I say? _Nao did not really know Samuru well. He knew that Samuru has some violent tendencies and is scared to say anything wrong or unpleasing. _I guess I will just ask him about his talent._

Nao mustered the courage to start the conversation. "Out of curiosity, how did you become an executioner?" Nao asked. It caught Samuru's attention.

"Do you really want to know?" Samuru asked.

"Yes, I do. For me, it is intriguing to see someone as young as you become an executioner." Nao explained.

Samuru gave thought about it. "Well, I do think it will not harm me if I told you about it. I hope you are open-minded." Nao nodded. _This is going to be interesting to hear. _Samuru took a deep breath and started telling his story.

"I was sent to an adult jail for being too rough in a juvenile prison." _Wait a minute, he went to prison? _Nao was surprised by this since Samuru was all about justice. Samuru instantly understood Nao's facial expression and did not bother him at all.

"I did something screwed up to get myself in juvie. While I was in juvie, I started picking fights and hung out with questionable people. Together, we asserted our dominance over everyone. We made sure nobody was better and stronger than us.

Because of my behavior, the authorities thought I was a hopeless case. They thought their therapies were not working. Because of that, they sent me to a proper prison where the conditions were harsher than juvenile prison. However, I tougher than anyone in prison.

Every day, I would constantly get into fights. People riled me up by saying 'I'm dumb' or something like that. They don't know they are the ones who were dumb to pick a fight against me. I always made sure my enemy have one less tooth before he fought me. Everyone I have fought gotten black eyes that they look like pandas.

Because of my fights, I was given the death penalty. I thought it was over for me. I said sorry to everyone I had ever fought in the prison. I cannot say it went smoothly but I still did it. I just saw my life flash before my very eyes.

Luckily, someone offered me a way out of the penalty. They offered me to become an executioner. I immediately agreed. They said have fun with it. I did. I executed people in more ways than one. Because of that, I became famous. People were polarized. They either hated me or loved me. I do not care. I am just doing my job with creative freedom." Samuru was finished detailing his story.

_Creative freedom? What does that suppose to mean? He must be really unbothered by the thought of killing if he can think of different ways of killing people. At least he is on our side. We do not have to worry about his methods of killing. _Nao just shrugged it off as if what Samuru said was normal.

After that, people started to come. Jirou came in first. He had his notebook and pen in his hands. Weirdly, he was smiling. _What is happening? Why is he smiling like that? _Jirou sat down with the two. He opened his notebook and browsed it. Nao noticed there were writings in it. _What is he reading?_

Nao could not take it anymore and asked Jirou. "What are you reading?" Nao asked. Jirou closed his notebook and looked at him.

"I stayed at the library reading countless books about different subjects. I was even able to read Da Vinci's notebook! I cannot believe it! I never thought I will be able to read a notebook of a genius like him! It was a treat to read. I took notes and discovered new things." Jirou exclaimed.

"You really are focused on your goal!" Nao complimented Jirou.

Jirou looked at him. "Of course I am! Nothing will happen if I do not do anything. Greatness does not come from laziness."

Samuru was not able to understand what the two were talking about since he did not know Jirou's goal. "What is Jirou's goal?" Samuru asked.

"He wants to become the 'Ultimate Scholar'." Nao answered.

Samuru was impressed by Jirou's determination to achieve his goal. He clapped his hands to Jirou. "Good for you! You are not letting our situation hold you down! Normally, people will stop trying when it becomes too difficult." Samuru told the mathematician.

"I am not just some other people." Jirou claimed. _I actually believe him. Not many can set their minds to a goal and be faithful to it. _

After that, Eri, Jitsunori, Mako, Reyes, and Takashiro came in through the door. They had 3-D glasses on. The five were very energetic and obviously had fun with whatever they did. The five sat down with everyone else. They took off their glasses and looked at everyone.

"Hi!" Mako greeted everyone.

"Everyone is happy. What did you guys do?" Samuru asked.

Reyes answered for the group. "We watched a movie in the theater room. Did you know you could request any movie for Monokuma to play in the theater room? He had every copy of every movie that was ever made and its 3-D version of it as well."

Nao's attention was caught by this. "How did you find out about this?" Nao asked.

The five laughed. "Everyone knows Mako can talk on and on and on. While we were in the theater, he was complaining about how useless the room was. It lasted for almost half an hour. Eventually, Monokuma came out and told us we can view any movie any time we want just to make Mako shut up." Jitsunori told the group.

Mako looked at Jitsunori. "You should be thankful I am a chatterbox or else Monokuma would have never given us the movies." The five laughed again.

"What movie did you watch?" Nao asked the five.

"We watched… As Above, So Below…" Eri answered. _Isn't that a horror movie? I thought she hated scary stories? _He looked at everyone. _Do they even know she hates scary stories?_

"You made her watch a horror movie in 3-D!" Nao asked the group. The four looked at each other clueless of why Nao's tone was like that. Reyes went to Eri who was hugging her teddy bear tightly. She crouched down to her level to talk to her.

"Do you hate horror movies?" Reyes asked.

Eri timidly answered. "I-I-I can't stand it. I-I-I have a hard t-t-time falling asleep after watching one. B-b-but I did not want to-to-to to ruin the group's mood so I went along with it…" _These guys should read everyone's profiles more._

The four quickly felt guilty about it. "We are so sorry! We did not know! Next time, tell us! We would have changed it if you told us." Jitsunori told Eri. Eri nodded. Reyes gave her a big hug.

After that, the five sat down with the three men. They continued to talk about the movie. Nao was able to join the conversation because he has watched it before. He told the group he watched it alone after finishing a test. In the theater, he was the only one watching since it was a weekday and it was before lunch.

"You skip classes a lot!" Reyes told Nao.

"I skip classes so much that this school has already considered me as a N.E.E.T.…" Nao told the group.

After that, Manon came. She was yawning as if she had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the people. _She definitely has just woken up. _She put her arms on the table and rested her head on it. _Apparently, she is still sleepy. This must be the effect of waking up Asuka early in the morning. _

The group tried to stay silent for Manon. They softened their voices to not disturb Manon. Samuru was the first one to comment. "She slept right after lunch. I guess she still needed more time to sleep."

"Honestly, I don't blame her. We stayed up very late last night because of the trial. She has woken up early for Asuka. I think she just needs a proper time to rest to bounce back." Jirou told everyone his opinion on Manon's state.

"I agree. Why did she even come here if she is still sleepy?" Nao asked.

"I think it might be because we asked her to come to the meeting tonight." Jitsunori told the group. _He did ask me and Umeko us to join dinner to talk about stuff. They really want to talk about everything we have discovered so far. I think Jitsunori and Reyes will be capable leaders like Kayle. I hope they will be for the group._

After that, Asuka and Umeko suddenly came out of the kitchen with the serving tray. Asuka was loud. She greeted everyone by shouting at the top of her lungs. "Hello everyone! Are you guys fucking hungry!" It did not also help that the trolley was a bit loud as well.

Because of this, Manon woke. She sat up straight and looked at the ladies. She went back to sleep seeing it was just Asuka. The two served the food. They made grilled chicken and lettuce. Also, they had blondies and two pitchers of limeade. Everyone started eating their meals.

Umeko was looking for Rei to give her a big portion of salad. "Where is Rei?" Umeko asked the group.

"She has not arrived yet." Nao answered.

"Okay…I guess I will just leave this portion in the kitchen later for her to eat." Umeko put the portion of salad beside her. After that, she started eating as well. The group ate their meals as they talked like they would normally do. People would bring up funny things that happened to them earlier. Some would crack up jokes or make fun of people. However, it was not as lively as it was before.

The group missed Kayle's voice as a leader. She would monitor everyone and tell them if they were getting a bit too rowdy. They also miss Ayumu and Hana's banter. Their conversation would make everyone laugh until their stomach hurts. Now, Hana has locked herself up in her room unwilling to join the group.

The group has finished eating their meals. Because of this, Jitsunori and Reyes thought it would be best to start the meeting at that moment. Jitsunori cleared his throat to grab everyone's attention. Everyone looked at him. After that, he started speaking.

"I think we should start the meeting seeing everyone is already finished with their meals." Jitsunori told the group. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Seeing this, Jitsunori took it as a signal to start.

"Reyes and I thought we should all talk about the effects of what happened last night and the new floor. I wanted to ask if anyone is having a hard time dealing with Ayumu and Kayle's death other than Hana." Jitsunori told the group.

Everyone looked at each other. Out of nowhere, Umeko raised her hand. Jitsunori recognized her and let her speak. "I think everyone here is still trying to move on from their deaths. I am just really worried about Hana. If Nao and I did not bring her breakfast and lunch, she would have not gone out of her room to eat." Umeko explained her worry.

"Hana is really taking it hard. I cannot blame her for it. Hana and Ayumu were very close to each other. And, to hear Ayumu's message for her must have really triggered her even more." Jirou told the group.

Jitsunori looked at the group. "What should we do about her?" He asked.

"We cannot really do anything about it other than letting her take her time to heal." Nao told the group. _We cannot really force someone to pretend they are alright if they are not. That would just fuck them up more. I do wish we can do something more._

Then, Samuru gave the group a suggestion. "If she continues to lock herself up in her room, someone should give her her food. That person should give her some words of encouragement or anything that could lift her spirit up."

_It is worth a shot. But, I doubt anyone in her state would be willing to listen to advice. I certainly did not when I was going through a tough time. _Nao looked at Umeko who was visibly eager to hear people's suggestions on how to help Hana. "If anyone should do it, it should be Umeko." Nao told the group.

Umeko was surprised by this. "Me?"

"Yes because you have a friendly aura unlike anyone else in this room. She is annoyed by Jirou. Jitsunori, Mako, Reyes, and Samuru are too intimidating. I can say Manon will not be able to say things in a warm tone. With Asuka, she might say more profanity than the actual advice. Eri is too timid while Takashiro is too childish for her to take him seriously." Nao explained why he thought it should be Umeko.

"What about you?" Umeko asked Nao.

"Well, I am unrelatable and I can be cold sometimes." Nao told her. Umeko could not say anything and agreed to do it.

"Don't worry. I will help you if you need me." Nao told her.

"Hana would have teased you if she heard you say that. Good thing she isn't here." Umeko told Nao.

Nao simply smiled and said, "That is why I said it with confidence." Umeko began to blush. Everyone was shocked by what Nao said. Even Eri dropped her bear from hearing Nao. Nao looked at everyone unbothered by what he said.

"It was just a joke." Nao told the group. The group calmed down. Umeko's face went back to normal. _I thought it was obvious that I was joking. _

Umeko tried to change the topic to move on from what Nao said. "W-w-what else should we talk about?" She was still stuttering from Nao's joke. Nao looked at her while Umeko tried to avoid his stare. _I guess my joke went beyond the line? I will never say a joke like that again._

Then, Reyes gave a topic to talk about next. "Let's talk about the new floor." It was obvious everyone was affected by hearing it. _From everyone's reaction, it is safe to assume nobody has a clue about those pictures._

"Let's talk about the rooms in general. They seem to be all connected to a certain field." Reyes told everyone.

"Th-th-they were all rooms for th-th-the arts." Eri told the group. _She is right. It was not just visual arts. Literary arts and audio-visual arts were given rooms to showcase. The library and the theater are rooms dedicated to the two. Even fashion was given a spotlight with the vault._

"Did anyone find it weird?" Jitsunori asked the group.

"I found it unusual to see the art room to have unfinished paintings, pots, and sculptures. It was as if someone decided to stop making their artworks in the middle of the process of creating and left everything." Jirou told the group.

"Also, it was weird to see the unused paint on the palettes were completely dry. It meant that it was left there for so long." Nao added. This made everyone think about what he said. _Now that I hear myself saying that, it is very weird. There should have been people in this school before us. They could have simply forgotten it but to leave it out for so long is quite bizarre. Where did those people go? Are they coming back to finish their artworks?_

Other than that, more questions were raised. "How did Monokuma get that many books? Why does this school have Mona Lisa? What were those pieces of jewelry and designer clothes doing in that vault? Is Monokuma that rich?" Manon asked. _Another mystery left unanswered. It could be that it was the school that got it but I doubt that it was Monokuma's doing. Nobody is that rich to get every piece of artwork on that floor. _

"I think we should try to disregard those for now. We do not have any way to get answers to those questions. It would be best to concentrate on our situation for now." Jirou told the group. _He is right. Instead of thinking for answers to those questions, we could just use that effort to in getting ourselves out of our situation._

"I agree. We should just focus on what we can do. But before we move on to our next topic, I just wanted to know who knows anything about their pictures on the second floor." Jitsunori asked the group. No one knew anything about it. Everyone was clueless.

"Just as expected…" Jitsunori let out a sigh.

"I think we should discuss something we can deal with for now. There are so many new weapons on the second floor. Monokuma is really giving us a lot of tools to use." Reyes told everyone. Nao agreed. _It should be added to the inventory checking. It would be really helpful. _

"Nao and Umeko, what is your report for the inventory checking?" Reyes asked the two. Nao looked at Umeko. The two were completely clueless about why Reyes was asking them that question. _Why is she asking us for an inventory report? Wait a second, are we the ones supposed to check today? _

Nao turned to Reyes. "Are we the ones assigned for today?" Nao asked. Reyes was shocked by his question.

"You two were the ones assigned for today." Jitsunori told the two. _We are! I forgot! This is embarrassing. _Nao looked at Umeko. It was obvious Umeko also forgot about it. She became red from embarrassment. _Both of us forgot we had to do it._

"We are so sorry! We forgot to do one. We forgot to remind each other." Nao told everyone.

"I am so sorry! I should have been more responsible!" Umeko added.

"Well, we can't do anything about it now. You two will have to do the inventory checking. Please do not forget about it again." Jitsunori told the two.

"I have a master list of dangerous items. You can ask for it tomorrow after you have done checking the inventory. If something went missing, tell us. Also, if you can, make a master list for the new floor tomorrow." Reyes told the two. _I will definitely remember doing that tomorrow._

"Are there any more concerns?" Jitsunori asked the group.

Jirou suddenly raised a concern. "I am new to this system you have created. Can someone explain to me how you do the inventory?" He asked. _That's right. He was not part of the meeting when we talked about the schedule for the checking. He should be paired up as well._

Jitsunori told him the system. He also told Jirou who is partnered with who. Quickly, Jirou raised another question. "If that is the case, who will be Reyes' new partner? I am not saying she is not trustworthy but she has to be paired up with someone."

"What if you become her new partner?" Nao suggested. A lot of them quickly agreed with this.

Jirou rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "Fine." However, he still had another question.

"What are you going to do with Ayumu and Hana's slot. Obviously, Hana is still out of commission. Someone has to replace them." Jirou asked as he eyed everyone.

"We could just simply adjust. Instead of Hana, we could have the next pair do it first. When Hana is ready again to do another checking, she can do it with me." Jitsunori volunteered. _Sounds fair enough._

"Do you still have any more questions?" Reyes asked Jirou. Jirou shook his head and was satisfied with the answers he got. After that, the meeting was adjourned and everyone went in their separate ways. Jitsunori and Mako volunteered to do the dishes. Manon immediately went out of the room. However, she did not look sleepy anymore. Asuka, full of energy, followed Manon. Samuru told the group he was going to sleep. Takashiro asked Eri and Reyes if they wanted to watch another movie. The two agreed and went to the theater room. Jirou told the group he was going to the library to read more. Nao and Umeko were left in the cafeteria.

"That was embarrassing of us to forget about our turn." Umeko told Nao as she put her hands on her cheeks. Nao understood how she was feeling. _I am not really that embarrassed since escaping from responsibilities is not new to me. But, I don't think that is the case for Umeko._

Nao put his hands on the table and rested his head on it. He looked at Umeko in this position. _She is very responsible. I hope I do not influence her by being with her most of the time. _Umeko noticed this. She quickly made a joke. "Why are you dreamily looking at me?" She quickly laughed after her tease on Nao. _I am?_

Nao stayed silent hearing Umeko's comment. He let Umeko talk and share all of her thoughts. He did not mind hearing her. It was quite refreshing for him to hear someone talk to him like this. _I never thought I will have someone like her to hang around with. Back home, I was always alone with no one to talk to or listen to. I wish I have met her before being locked up in here._

Umeko suddenly flicked him on the forehead. Suddenly, Nao snapped back to reality. He looked at Umeko who was looking at him. "What were you thinking? You were so deep in your thoughts." Umeko asked him.

Nao just smiled at her and said, "Nothing too important."

"If it is not important, it means you can tell me. So tell me what you were thinking." Umeko told Nao. Nao wanted to but there was also a part of him telling him not to. _Should I tell her? Is there even a point to tell her? Why am I even thinking about this?_

He was going to answer her when he looked at a portion of food left on the table. It quickly reminded him of Hana. "Shouldn't you give Hana her dinner already?" Nao told Umeko. Umeko quickly looked at the time.

"You are right!" She quickly stood up and grabbed the plate of food and a glass of water. She looked at Nao who was still sitting.

"I thought you are going to help me." Umeko told him. Nao stood up and took the plate of food from her hand. He looked at Umeko. "Let's go." Umeko was confused by this gesture. However, she shrugged it off and started walking to Hana's room.

She looked at Nao who was at her left. "You did not answer my question."

Nao did not really take it seriously and just laughed it off. Umeko was intent in finding out what he was thinking. "What were you thinking?"

"Nothing too important, I swear." Nao told Umeko. Umeko was unconvinced by this.

"Why don't you just tell me?" She told Nao.

Nao could not really say why he did not want to. _I should just tell her but it feels weird telling her. Am I being socially awkward right now? I feel like I am. I should just tell her. What am I even going to say? 'I feel happy being with you.' Cringey!_

Eventually, the two made in front of Hana's room. Umeko knocked on her door. Immediately, Hana opened the door. She handed the two the plate and utensils she used for her lunch. After that, Nao and Umeko gave her her food and glass of water. After giving her food, Umeko was about to say something. However, she was immediately cut off by Hana slamming the door shut.

_She is not in the mood for seeing other people, I guess. _Nao looked at Umeko who was definitely for not being able to say anything to Hana. She crossed her arms and looked at Nao. "I can always try again tomorrow."

After that, Umeko walked to the door of her room. She looked at Nao. "I am going to bed."

"Sweet dreams!" Nao told her.

"You are not off to bed?" Umeko asked.

"I don't feel sleepy yet." Nao told her. It was obviously a lie.

"Okay, wake up early tomorrow! We will check the weapons." Umeko then entered her room.

Nao went back to the cafeteria. He did not want to go to sleep yet. He wanted to wait for Rei to come out of her room to eat. _I am not going to force her to say anything this time but I have to prove to her that her knowledge is needed by the group. I wish I could ask for other people's help but knowing Rei's personality, she might end up being more reluctant in sharing._

He went back to the cafeteria. Only Jitsunori and Mako were left in the room. The two were talking to each other. _No one can deny those two's chemistry. They have always been together. Are they already a thing? If they are, I wish they would tell the group. It would be great news to hear. I bet Reyes will jump up and down from happiness._

Nao sat down away from the two to give them some privacy. Eventually, the two left. They said goodnight to Nao. Now, Nao was left alone to wait for Rei. It was getting late. He was starting to fall asleep. It was hard for him to fight the urge to sleep. However, he did not let himself fall asleep.

_I can't! Just a few more minutes and I am sure Rei will come in. She will still have her notebook with her looking for food. I hope this time she will at least listen to me. _He sat up straight waiting patiently for Rei to come.

After a few more minutes, the doors slowly opened. Nao anticipated who it was going to come in. Obviously, he was hoping for it to be Rei. To his disappointment, it was not Rei. It was only Norio. Nao went back to waiting for Rei. However, he could not take his attention away from Norio.

Norio lazily walked through the cafeteria and went to the kitchen. Quickly, he went out of the kitchen with the food Umeko saved for him. He took a seat at the table where Nao was sitting at. It was Nao's first time to see what Norio typically do. _This is getting awkward._

Nao continued looking at Norio who did not mind Nao and continued with his meal. As this happens, Nao became more curious about Norio. _What does he do when he is all alone? I don't think he just eats and sleeps all day long waiting for nothing to happen. Should I ask him? _With his curiosity piqued, he started a conversation with Norio.

"Hello…" Nao awkwardly started. Norio did not look at him making it more awkward for Nao.

Nao cleared his throat and tried once more. "Hello…"

Norio did not look at his direction but he did reply to Nao. "I heard you the first time. You don't need to keep saying hello."

_This is going well… _Nao looked at Norio who was finished eating with his meal. Then, he drank his bottle of water. After that, he put the empty bottle on his plate and looked at Nao. "What did you want to talk about?" Norio asked.

This surprised Nao. _I never thought he had any intention of talking to me. I better be careful. I might make him stop the conversation. _He looked at Norio who was waiting for his response. "I was wondering what do you do throughout the day. You never hung out with anyone. The only time you stayed with the group for a long time was when the party was ongoing."

Norio raised his right eyebrow. "Does it matter?"

"Actually, it does. People will become suspicious of you. Some might think you are working for Monokuma doing his dirty works all alone. I don't think you would want that, do you?" Nao made up a reason on the spot. _I might be pushy but I think I made some sense. I hope he bought it. _

Norio giggled a bit. "You can make a great excuse on the spot. Obviously, you just made that up." _I guess he saw through me. _Nao quickly gave up on getting an answer from Norio.

To his surprise, Norio continued. "But, you did have a point. I guess it will be best if at least one of you knew what I do every day in this hellhole." Nao became attentive in listening to Norio.

"I honestly don't do much. I sit around in my room trying to figure out what happened to me before I came here. I wrote everything I could remember in a notebook I got from the storage room. As of now, I do not really have anything to share with the group but I think I have a theory on what happened to us." With Norio's last statement, Nao's focus was quickly glued onto Norio's next words.

"I think some parts of our memories have been erased. Unless the supernatural exists, there is nothing that could explain what happened to us. If we were kidnapped by someone, we should remember being attacked by someone but none of us do. Hearing your story from others, I became more sure about my theory. If you were kidnapped like us, how did you get here when you were being told about your title?" _Where did he hear that from? _Nao was suddenly curious about how Norio knew that. He never told him about it. He does not talk to anyone and nobody really looks for him to talk to.

"Where did you get that info?" Nao asked.

"I overheard Umeko and Jitsunori talking about it when we first met. They were definitely curious about you during that time." Norio answered.

_What he is saying does make a point. But, explaining what happened to us with his theory is confusing. What did the kidnapper do to us? When were we really kidnapped? What is the true date today? It is plausible but hard to comprehend. _Nao was definitely more intrigued by the way Norio thinks. It was Norio's logic and the way he gathered knowledge that struck him interesting the most.

Nao went on to ask another question to Norio. "Are you good at reading people?"

Norio did not mind to answer. "I am not really the best at reading people. However, I am great at memorizing people's habits. I have observed everyone at some point. Some do not realize they are in the same room as me that they show some quirks they have."

"What have you observed about me?" Nao asked.

"You like to ask questions. Out of everyone, you are probably the most inquisitive. You can be a great decision-maker for the group with your logic but you choose not to. There were times you would ask for people to do what you think is best for the group without anyone noticing. You don't like the spotlight, do you?" Norio quickly asked Nao.

"I don't like the pressure being under it." Nao answered.

"Hmmm…In our situation, you will sooner or later be forced to take the reins especially when a murder happens again. Other than me, you are the only one with the logic capable to solve mysteries." Nao was surprised by what Norio told him. _I don't want to become a leader. It is too much for me._

Nao was about to ask Norio more but the ultimate defense attorney stood up with his plate and went back to the kitchen. After a few seconds, he went out of the kitchen and went straight to the door of the cafeteria. Before he left, he looked back at Nao who was confused with what was happening. He gave him a faint smile before talking again.

"I know you are up to something. That is why you are still here unlike the others. Whatever it is, I hope you will stay safe. After sort of becoming the leader of the previous trial, a new more sinister murderer might target you next to get away with it more easily." After that, he left Nao alone in the cafeteria.

_Did I really make myself a target after the trial? Why am I even thinking like this? No one will murder anyone anymore. I am sure of it. I hope so. _Because of Norio's statement, Nao became uneasy with his status in the group. _Will someone really plot a murder to kill me? I hope Norio is bluffing._

He continued questioning the validity of Norio's statement as he waited for Rei. It was getting later as he continued to wait. As time goes by, it was getting harder for him to wait. Other than resisting to fall asleep, he is also bothered by Norio's words. He wanted to see Rei not just to convince her to trust him but also to make his mind at peace.

After a few more minutes, someone eventually opened the door. Finally, it was Rei. Just like how Nao predicted, she had her notebook rapped around her arms. She instantly noticed Nao. She tried to brush him off and walk towards the kitchen. However, Nao stood up and shouted her name.

"Rei, wait! I know I am becoming irritating but please listen to me. You don't have to say anything. I just want you to hear me out. Please!" Nao shouted.

She slowly turned around to look at him. Sheepishly, she agreed to listen. Nao quickly began talking. "I do not know what that note was about. It might not even be connected with our situation, which I doubt since you have been avoiding me because of it. But if my guess is right, please help me understand what you know about our situation. It might be helpful for the group. Why are you avoiding me to talk about it?" Nao asked.

Surprisingly, Rei answered. "I do not know if you are one of them…" This shocked Nao. _One of them? Who is she talking about?_

"What do you mean?" Nao further asked.

She looked around spotting cameras in the corners of the room. "I said too much…" Rei began to breathe heavily. She knelt to the floor putting down her notebook. She clenched her right hand on her chest trying to breathe normally. However, it was not working. She started to panic which made it worse.

Nao did not know what to do. He ran to her and knelt to her level. "Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Find your happy place." Nao instructed her. It was slowly working. However, it was not enough to stop her from a panic attack. "I do not have…a happy place."

After that, Nao put his hands on the sides of her head and made her look at him. "Don't think about anything else. Look at me. I am the only one here. No one is looking at us right now. Breathe slowly." It was starting to work. Eventually, she went back to normal. She quickly took her notebook from the ground and stood up.

Rei looked at Nao who was still kneeling on the floor. "Thank you…"

Nao stood up and looked at her. "Obviously, whatever you know is a burden too big for you to handle all alone. If you do not trust me, at least trust someone to tell them about what you know to lighten the burden. Cracking under pressure is not something we need in our situation right now. Please, do it at least for yourself." Nao told Rei who was on the verge of tears.

Nao walked towards the door. He looked back at her before exiting the room. _Rei desperately needs someone to lean on. I might not be the one she wants but I hope she will choose to lean on someone in the group. _

He slowly walked contemplating on what Rei said. _One of them? Who is she talking about? Does she know who did this to us? Rei is as mysterious as the genre of novel she excels at in writing. I hope she does not get swallowed up by the feeling of carrying every burden by herself._

He eventually made it to his room. He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and changed into his sleepwear. He lied down on his bed still bothered by Norio's statement and curious about Rei's secret. "I never thought tonight would get this complicated." Eventually, he fell asleep as the night went on.

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**That is it for now! I hope you have enjoyed it!**

**What did you think of everything that happened? Sound them off in the reviews.**

**I also want to thank those who have been so supportive of my story!**

**Anyway, that is all for now! Thank you for taking the time to read!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	18. Oh Holy Night 3

**Hi guys! I know fell off the face off the earth for a couple of months. Well, it is because of my computer and laptop giving up on me. I did not have any way to continue writing. But now, I have my computer fixed and I am back to writing! I am so excited for you guys to read this! I hope you guys enjoy this!**

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"Mom! I'm home! I aced my exam in physics again! Hahahaha! I will just put the test on the table so you can see it for yourself!"Nao shouted as he entered his house. He put the piece of paper on their dining table just like he said and went straight to his room. Nobody answered him but he did not mind.

He went to his room and changed into his normal clothes. After that, he lied down on his bed and played with his phone. It seemed like a normal afternoon, quiet but it was the kind of quiet everyone wanted. Nao did not think there was anything wrong. Nothing seemed wrong. It was just a normal afternoon after school.

Minutes passed by as Nao continued to play with his phone. He eventually got bored with his games and decided to come out of his room and go to the kitchen. He took his phone with him. The silence of the house was broken with the loud creak of his door. His footsteps echoed through the house as he went to the kitchen.

Arriving in the kitchen, he noticed his paper was still not moved. _I guess I am the first to come home today. _He took a carton of milk from the fridge and poured himself a glass of milk. _What should I do while I wait for them?_ He drank the milk and decided to wander around the house.

He first went to his parent's room. _Maybe I should surprise them by tidying up their room. _He opened up the door of his parent's room. Suddenly, the world went dark. Nao fell on his knees horrified by the sight he was greeted by.

"Th-th-this is a dream! This can't be real! No! No! No! I can't accept this!" Nao continued to deny it. Suddenly, he felt two hands tap on his shoulders. It came from behind him. He turned around and his heart quickly sank to the floor.

"It's real." Kayle's bloody corpse lifelessly told Nao. The sight was repulsive. Kayle was rotten. Her flesh was falling apart. Flies were flying around her face.

His heart started to beat faster and louder. It was invading his thoughts. Everything was too much for him. Quickly, his mind was falling apart. He was starting to have a breakdown. _This is a dream! This is a dream! Wake up! Wake up! Nao, wake up! _

Nao quickly woke up. He sat up straight on his bed. He took his tablet and looked at the time. _5:02 am. It is already morning. That was just a dream. It was just a dream. I should move on. Calm down. Just calm down. It was just a harmless dream. _Nao finally calmed down. He noticed that he was drenched in his own sweat.

Drenched in his sweat, he decided to stand up and go to his bathroom to take a shower. He was about to take a step when a knock on his door suddenly came out of nowhere. He stopped and waited for the knock to come back. As he expected, he heard the knock again. Waiting for the person to speak, he was becoming anxious to find out who was knocking on his door.

"Nao, wake up! Are you already awake?" He let his guard down when he heard the voice. Nao quickly knew who it was. He went to the door and opened it. In front of his room was Umeko waiting for him to answer the door.

Umeko immediately noticed Nao's state. "Did you sleep well? Why are you covered in sweat?" Nao looked at himself and was completely reminded to change.

"I am fine, nothing to worry about." He lied hoping he does not make Umeko worry. Quickly, he offered her to come inside his room to change the subject.

"Come in…" Nao awkwardly offered. Quickly, Umeko smiled as she walked inside his room. She looked around his room before finally deciding to sit on one of the four wooden chairs in his room. Immediately, Umeko had something to say about his room.

"Your room is neat. It isn't what I imagined a N.E.E.T.'s room would be like." Umeko commented as she played with her tulle fabric.

Nao raised his eyebrow from the idol's comment. "What did you think my room would be like?" Without any hesitation, Umeko answered Nao's question which surprised him.

"Well, for starters, I thought I would see your clothes lying on the floor. Some of the chairs are already misplaced. The bedsheets have stains. Something like that." Umeko answered as she pointed at the spots where she thought the clothes and chairs would be.

"I am so sorry to disappoint you but I am not just any ordinary NEET. I am the ultimate NEET. That means I am different from the rest." Nao humorously replied. This made Umeko giggle a bit. After he replied, he went to his closet and took some clothes.

"You are here to fetch me so we can do the inventory checking together, right?" Nao asked Umeko as he grabbed his pants from the closet.

"Yes! For a moment, I thought you forgot about it." Umeko answered.

Nao quickly walked towards the door of his bathroom. He paused and looked at Umeko. "I will take a quick shower first. Then, we can do the inventory. Will you wait for me here?" Nao told Umeko. Umeko did not see anything wrong with it. "No problem. Go take your shower." After that, Nao took a bath. It was not long since he did not want to make Umeko wait for him. As soon as he was done changing into his clothes, he went out of his bathroom and told Umeko they should start checking.

As the two walked in the hallways all alone, Nao suddenly realized something. Suddenly, he stopped. "We forgot to ask Reyes for the master list!" Umeko did not stop walking and just pulled out a piece of paper from one of the pockets of her pants.

"I already asked for it last night before I went to bed just in case you forgot." Nao let out a sigh of relief. _ Umeko is really dependable. It is a good thing I am partnered with her. Or else I would be a bother to the others. _Nao ran to catch up to Umeko.

"Where should we go first?" Umeko asked Nao.

"We should do the clinic first since it is the nearest." Not too long, they were already finished with the room. As expected there is a missing bottle of Poison F. _I hope this will be the last time someone uses poison. _Umeko cannot help but relive what happened during the party.

"We cannot let another murder happen." Umeko murmured. Nao heard it but decided to say nothing. _I should just let her be. My words can't make her forget it. _Nao then tapped on Umeko's shoulder. "We should do the kitchen next."

The duo went to the kitchen. As they predicted, nothing was out of the ordinary. All of the blades were still there. Hesitantly, they went to the storage room next. They knew they had to but knowing that fact did not make it easier for them to go. It was a place filled with tragic memories for them.

Slowly, Nao opened the door that led to the room. Step by step, their want of leaving the room grew more. Finally, they were in the middle of the room that was once filled with murder. "Let's do this as fast we can. I don't think I can handle being in here for a long time." Umeko told Nao. They surveyed each cabinet looking for any missing item. After thoroughly doing the inspection, the two quickly noted no dangerous weapon is missing.

"I guess we are doing the second floor next." Nao told Umeko as he grabbed a pencil from one of the cabinets.

"Why did you take a pencil?" Umeko asked.

Nao immediately replied, "We need to make a new master list for the second floor. We will just use the back page of the current master list to write on."

"I did not think about that." Umeko told that. After that, the two went up to the second floor. The two went to the visual arts room first. They immediately grabbed all of the potential weapons in the room and listed them down. Each tool was grouped so that the listing was easier.

"There are four saws, nine mallets, eighty-nine nails, three chisels, seven scissors, a big clump of hardened plaster, and eleven tools we cannot name." Nao told Umeko. After that, Umeko suggested they should clean the room so that it would be easier to spot if something was out of place. Nao agreed. It did not take long for them to finish cleaning up. After that, they went to the art supply room.

Compared to the visual arts room, the art supply room was like a treasure trove of weapons. Inside were items that are either broken or in prim condition. Either way, all can be used as a weapon if the user has the creativity to do so.

"We will be spending quite a long time here." Nao told Umeko. The two started. It was dusty, messy, and stuffy. The two could not move properly constantly bumping into each other or a box. The dust was so much that Umeko let out a sneeze.

"Achoo! Excuse me!" Umeko said.

They took a long time to finish. As soon as they were done, Monokuma's wake-up call blasted through the building. "Wake up twerps! It is a brand new day! Actually, I am quite excited about today! Upupupu!" _Excited? He is definitely up to something and I bet it is far from being good. _

"We should hurry up!" Umeko told Nao. Then, the two went to the backstage of the theater room where real swords were stored. Other than real swords, they discovered bows and arrows, axes, guns, grenades, and gas masks hidden in the room.

"I think we are done. We should go now to the kitchen to start cooking breakfast." Umeko suggested. Nao followed her. In no time, the two were already in the cafeteria. Inside was Manon sleeping where she normally sits during meals. _If Manon is here, that means Asuka is already here._

Umeko was about to approach Manon when Nao stopped her. "We should just let her sleep." Umeko followed Nao's advice. The two ignored the sleeping Manon and went straight to the kitchen. Inside was Asuka in front of a running faucet.

"Good morning!" She greeted the two.

"You are very energetic for someone who is not used to waking up this early." Umeko stated.

Asuka grabbed some carrots and washed as she continued the conversation. "Really? I guess I am starting to adjust to this new routine! Of course, I can do this! I am motherfucking Roxanne Mercury! I can fucking do anything that I want! Hahahahahaha!" Asuka boasted.

"It seems like you have a plan already. Would you like to tell us what you are making?" Nao asked.

"Hmmm…I am not really sure what I will be making. Hahahaha! I just grabbed these carrots and thought I can make something with this." Asuka answered. _Just like the Asuka I know, impulsive. _Umeko grabbed the carrots from Asuka and gave it to Nao. "I know a vegan recipe for a carrot cake. I am sure it will be a piece of cake for Nao to make."

"Did you just make a joke?" Nao asked.

"Oh, whatever! Before we get started, I will just use the washroom." Umeko left Asuka and Nao all alone in the kitchen. Asuka immediately tried to start a conversation with Nao.

"Why did you become a NEET out of everything you can become?" Nao was caught off guard by her question. _That was unexpected. _Nao tried to think of an answer but he could not think of anything. However, he still tried to answer truthfully.

"I don't know. All I could say is I did not choose this for myself. I guess my life uncontrollably became like this." Nao said everything that came to his head.

"That was deep! Well, do you want to know why I became a rocker chick?" Asuka asked. Before Nao could say anything, Asuka cut him off and immediately started telling her story. _I did not ask for this but I guess it would not hurt me to get to know her more. I guess she definitely loves to talk about herself._

"I became a rocker because of my father. I was influenced a lot by him. He is kind of my idol really." Asuka started off. _I guess she's a father's daughter then._

"I guess it is safe to say your father is a rocker as well." Nao told Asuka. Asuka giggled with what Nao said. _Did I say something funny? Why did she giggle? _

"My father is a rocker. You are fucking on point! However, he is not just a rocker! He is the rocker! My father is Ozzy Kiyora. He is one of the best rockers in the world and is the founder of the Black Messiah. You might have heard of him or the band before. I know right, I am such a lucky daughter to have such a great father like him." Asuka continued boasting but Nao did not really get why her father is worth boasting since he had no idea who her father was. _I should just let her talk it out. Maybe she needs this._

"He would tour the world and bring me and my family along with him. Every performance he ever had were fucking masterpieces. Seeing him do his crazy shit made me want to learn from him. So, I made him teach me his tricks. Little did he know I was a prodigy. I played countless arrangements perfectly. I wrote good shit. I was born to be a star.

One day, to test my greatness, my father arranged a solo gig for me. It was nerve-wracking, I have to admit but once I started performing, it felt like I could go on forever. I banged my like I have no neck. I did unbelievable guitar riffs. I fucking crowd surfed in my first gig. After that, I knew I have to do this forever.

I signed to agencies and learned how to live in this fucking industry. I worked my way to the top. Now, I am Roxanne Mercury, the best rocker that even topped Ozzy Kiyora, a living legend. No one is going to stop my reign even a fucking teddy bear will not be my downfall. Hell no!" Asuka shared. _Is she thinking of killing to get out of here? Maybe she is confused about what to do with her emotions that is why she is sharing this with me._

"Don't get me wrong though. I am not going to kill. That is way worse than falling down from my pedestal." _Good. For a second, I thought she foreshadowing something. _Nao wanted to reply Asuka but the doors of the kitchen opened. Entering the room was Umeko who went to the washroom. And, with her was Jirou.

"You have not started cooking while the crowd outside is growing." Jirou told everyone.

"Good morning Jirou!" Nao greeted.

"This is no time for pleasantries. We should start cooking before the people outside gets a gastric ulcer." Jirou turned to Umeko to ask what we are going to cook. Umeko quickly delegated the tasks. Asuka and Jirou will help each other with the omelets and bacon strips. Umeko will be making her vegan breakfast while teaching Nao how to make the carrot cake.

In less than 40 minutes, the group was done with the cooking. They put the platter of food and served it outside to the hungry guests. As usual, Norio was nowhere to be found. Hana is not yet going out of her room. However, to Nao's surprise, Rei was sitting with everyone else. She was silently sitting in the middle of the chaotic table.

"It is time to eat! It smells great!" Mako declared as they take several bacon strips.

Umeko went straight to Rei and gave her her vegan meal. "Here you go! It is nice to finally see you join the group again!" After that, everyone sat down and started digging in.

As the group was eating, Reyes decided to ask Nao and Umeko about the inventory. "So, what is your report on the inventory?" Umeko drank before she answered. "There is nothing really worth talking about on the first floor. The second floor, on the other hand, is filled with dangerous weapons. We saw bent saws and sharp chisels. In the backstage of the theater room, we also found real swords and guns. People should avoid it."

"I see. Let's be responsible enough to know what is right from what is wrong." Reyes told the group. Everyone agreed with Reyes. "Thank you, Umeko and Nao! Do not forget you will be doing it again tonight." Jitsunori told the two.

"We won't!" Umeko declared. Then, Jitsunori looked at the group. "Who will be the next in charge?" Manon sleepily raised her hand. "Umeko and I will be doing it next." Manon told the group. After that, there was nothing left to discuss. People finished eating and went to their separate ways. Asuka and Samuru washed the plates while Manon went back to bed. Jirou pulled Umeko into the corner and started interrogating her about environmental science. Eri and Takashiro stayed in the cafeteria with Mako's group. Rei quickly got up and went outside. Nao decided to follow her.

Eventually, Nao ended up following Rei into the library. _The library is huge. I should quickly follow her before I lose her inside. _Nao quickly went in. Fortunately for him, she was walking slowly. The two continued to walk until Rei suddenly stopped. She turned around and saw Nao behind her. With this surprising move, he did not know what to do. However, what surprised him more was Rei's calmness. _She is not as anxious as before._

"I knew you would…follow me here. Thankfully…you did…" Rei told Nao who was baffled by this. _She wanted me to follow her?_

"You intentionally made me follow you?" Nao asked.

"Yes…" Rei squeezed her notebook in her arms tighter.

"Why?"

"You are right…I…I…I…have to tell what I…know." Rei told Nao.

"You will share your secret with me?" Nao asked.

Rei looked at the floor before nodding her head. _Finally!_ "Why here?" Nao asked Rei. Rei pointed at the ceiling. "There are no cameras or r…r…recording devices that can catch our conversation in this specific spot…"

"You do not want Monokuma to know what you know." Nao asked. Rei simply nodded before saying another word. "What I will tell you can only be between us…okay?" Rei asked Nao. _She only trusts me right now. I better not break her trust. _Nao nodded.

"I remember…everything. But…it is not just…me who remembers. At least…from what I know…it should not just be…me." Rei told Nao. _Someone other than Rei remembers? _"Who is it?" Nao quickly asked.

"I can't tell you their name because I might be…wrong…but…the person is still alive." Rei added. _Out of the fourteen of us, two of us know what is going on. They must be really scared of Monokuma to hide this from everyone. Who could be the other one? _

"What else can you tell me?" Nao asked.

"The date we know is…not the true date." Before Nao could reply, he was cut off by Rei. "I think I…have to go. People are coming. We should continue this another time." Before Nao could follow Rei, Nao heard voices coming from behind him.

"What movie should we watch next? This time, we should do a good adventure! That would be perfect! I want to see people ride boats while seagulls fly in the background. Thinking about it now, I could already feel the breeze!"

Nao turned around and saw Mako talking loudly in a group. Along with him were Jitsunori and Reyes, as usual, and Eri and Takashiro. _Those guys are probably planning to watch another movie. I hope they don't choose another horror movie. Poor Eri, she must have been so scared last night._

The five continued to talk loudly in the library. Eventually, they stopped after seeing Nao. "Hello, Nao! What are you doing here all alone in this big library?" Reyes asked. Nao was stumped by her question. _What should I say? I can't tell them I followed Rei here. _

Before Nao could come up with something, Eri spoke up. "Would you like t-t-to join us in watching a movie?" _Eri, you are such a blessing! I don't think I could have come up with anything believable. _Nao smiled at Eri.

"I would love to! What should we watch?" Nao asked as he looked at Eri. Eri avoided Nao's gaze and looked at Honey. Before she could say anything, Takashiro interrupted her. "We have no idea! If you are joining, you can pick the movie if you want!" Then, Takashiro put his right thumb up.

"Okay! I'll think about it while we make our way to the theater." Nao told Takashiro.

"The more, the merrier! Let's go!" Mako screamed. Suddenly, Monokuma's voice was heard through the audio system in the library. "This is a fucking library Mako. Tone it the fuck down! Sheez! You should be banned from entering this room! Good thing I am a fair bear. God knows how long it will take for you to shut the fuck up!" After that, Jitsunori laughed at Mako who was turned silent.

"We should get going." Jitsunori told the group. Everyone walked out of the library. Jitsunori put his arm around Mako while they walked side by side. Nao couldn't help but notice their display of affection for each other. Nao went to Reyes' side.

"Are they already a thing?" Nao asked.

Reyes looked at Nao first before answering. "Who knows but they sure love each other's company." Nao smiled as he continued to look at the two happily talking to each other. _This is good. I everything stays good like this._

The group continued walking. Eventually, they arrived at the theater. The group quickly took their seats. Jitsunori sat near the aisle. Beside him was Mako. In front of Mako was Reyes. She chose to sit alone. Eri and Takashiro decided to seat beside Jitsunori and Mako. After everyone was settled, Nao decided to sit beside Reyes.

As soon he sat down, Takashiro tapped on his shoulder. "So what should we watch?" Nao still could not think of a movie to watch. "I don't know." Nao answered.

"What should we watch then?" Mako asked the group.

"I want something funny!" Takashiro quickly shouted.

"With a dash of adventure!" Reyes added.

"Maybe something that has to do with the ocean! I want to see the ocean so bad!" Mako suggested.

"Anything will do for me. I am not really picky when it comes to movies." Jitsunori told the group.

"What about you Eri? What do you want to watch?" Nao asked.

Eri timidly answered, "Can it be…animated?"

"So we want a funny aquatic adventure cartoon movie. Hmmm…what about Finding Nemo? After that, we can watch Finding Dory." Nao suggested. Everyone agreed. Mako quickly shouted for Monokuma.

"Monokuma, we want to watch another movie!"

Quickly, Monokuma appeared beside Eri and replied, "What is it this time?"

"Finding Nemo" Mako answered.

Monokuma took a long time to reply. "Really? Why?"

"Are you going to play the movie or should I just keep talking?" Mako threatened.

"Sheez! Calm down! I will play it just shut up." Then, Monokuma disappeared. After a few seconds, the lights in the theater were turned off and the huge backdrop on stage suddenly became a screen. Moments later, the movie started to play. The group had fun watching. Even though they have watched it several times before, they still enjoyed it. It was one of those things that made them feel they were somewhere else. It made them feel safe.

Naturally, the movie came to an end. Takashiro pulled out Tori-chan from his bag and said, "That was fun! We should watch Finding Dory next!" After that, he giggled in Tori-chan's voice.

"We will after lunch. It is almost time to eat." Jitsunori told Takashiro.

"I guess I can wait that long." Takashiro replied.

Nao looked at Eri who was smiling from ear to ear. _This is the first time I saw her like this. _"You really loved the movie Eri, didn't you?" Nao asked. Eri's smile quickly shrank. She looked at Nao and nodded her head.

"Honey loved it as well." Eri added. She held her bear's head and moved it as if it was nodding. "It's good that both of you loved it!" Nao told Eri.

After that, they stood up from their seats and went to the cafeteria. Arriving there, he immediately left the group and went straight to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen was Asuka and Umeko who have started cooking lunch.

"What else can I help you guys with." Nao offered. Asuka looked at Nao as she stood near the stove. "Nothing really. Everything is already cooking. It is just a waiting game for these dishes to cook." Nao turned to Umeko who was near the oven. "She is right. We are almost done. If you want, you can help by setting up the table outside."

After that, Nao immediately took some utensils and put it on the trolley. He went to the cafeteria with the trolley. To his surprise, Takashiro was sitting all alone. He approached him with the trolley. "Where's everyone?" Nao asked.

"Jitsunori and Mako went back to their rooms. Reyes went with Eri to the comfort room." Takashiro answered. After that, Nao started setting up the table. Seeing this, Takashiro offered to help him with the table.

"Let me help!" Takashiro took the glasses of water and put it beside the plates. Working with each other, they were able to set up the table quickly. "We did it!" Takashiro yelled. Nao brought back the trolley in the kitchen. After doing so, he went back to Takashiro and sat down beside him.

"You are not helping with cooking today?" Takashiro asked.

"They said they don't need my help. I guess, this time, I can wait for food like you guys normally do." Nao told Takashiro.

Takashiro suddenly pulled out two of his puppets, Tsune-kun and Tori-chan. Using Tori-chan's voice, Takashiro started talking. "Since you got nothing to do, would you mind talking to us? Hihihihi!" Nao giggled and went along with Takashiro's show.

"Well, how did you become so talented in cooking?" Tori-chan asked.

"Talented? I wouldn't use that word. I just know how to cook. It is not that big of a deal." Nao answered.

"Why are you so modest?" Tsune-kun butted in.

"I love food so much that I have eaten a lot of things but I must say your food tastes well!" Tori-chan added.

"Well, thank you for saying that!" Nao blushed.

"He is blushing! What a pretty boy you are!" Tori-chan said.

"Well, you haven't answered her question yet. How did you become so good at cooking?" Tsune-kun reiterated.

Nao took a moment before he answered. "Well, I had to learn how to cook since I have no one to cook for me. I never realized my cooking is okay since I have nobody to share my food with." He answered.

"Really? What about your parents?" Tori-chan asked.

"I'm usually alone at home." Nao answered.

"Poor thing!" Tori-chan answered.

_I should use this to get to know Takashiro more. _"What about you, do you have any friends worth talking about?" Nao asked. Tori-chan quickly replied, "Well, I have Takashiro! I also have Bon and Tsune-kun even though they are not the best to hang around at parties. They can be cold but they are the sweetest friends I have."

_I should be more specific. _"What about you Takashiro, do you have any special friends other than your puppets?" Takashiro was caught off guard by Nao. He put his puppets back inside of his bag and proceeded. "Me?"

"Yes! Any friends worth talking about?" Nao asked again.

Takashiro took a long time before answering his question. "Well, I have this friend named Daisuke. He is actually the first person to ask me to teach them ventriloquism. I was really happy when he first asked me to teach him. I feel honored to be considered as a teacher in my field. It kind of validated what I was doing. Also, it feels nice to inspire someone to do what you love doing.

We first met at a birthday party I was performing. I was doing my typical number. After performing, he immediately went up to me and asked. I was surprised but I did say yes. After that, we hung out more often since I was teaching him ventriloquism. It was fun. In no time, he was able to master it and was ready to perform on his own.

Actually, I made him a gift to congratulate him on becoming a great ventriloquist. Sadly, he turned it down." Takashiro said.

"What was the gift?" Nao asked.

Takashiro pulled out one of his puppets from his bag. "I actually intended him to have this." Takashiro was holding Tsune-kun. _Tsune-kun wasn't for him. It was for his friend. How sweet of him. But why did Daisuke declined it?_

"Why did he not accept it?" Nao asked.

"He said he would rather see me perform using it than use it in his performance. I would use it better according to him. Every time I use Tsune-kun, I make sure I give a great performance for Daisuke." Takashiro answered.

"Is Tsune-kun based on Daisuke?" Nao asked another question.

"Yup! Tsune-kun's attitude is based on Daisuke, rough and ill-tempered but sweet, sometimes. And, his name is based on Daisuke's last name, Tsunekawa." Takashiro answered. _What a sweet boy! Whoever Daisuke is must be lucky to have a friend like Takashiro. _

After that, Reyes and Eri came back from the comfort room. "We're back! Sorry, we took so long." Not too long, Jitsunori and Mako appeared along with Samuru, Rei, and Jirou. They sat down around the table and were waiting for the food to come along.

"Where is Manon?" Reyes asked.

Samuru quickly answered. "She is sleeping in her room. She does not want to be bothered at all." _I mean it is Manon we are talking about. She is quite a night owl compared to the rest of us. _After that, Asuka and Umeko appeared with the trolley filled with different dishes.

"The aroma is fantastic!" Samuru shouted.

"Of course, I cooked it! Hahahahaha!" Asuka answered. The two ladies distributed the food. As soon as they were done distributing, everyone started to dig in. Everyone enjoyed the meal. The group was laughing from Mako and Asuka's stories. Eventually, the group was finished with their meal and went on with their day.

Umeko asked Nao to come with her to give Hana her food after eating. Nao and Umeko left the group first to go to Hana. Umeko knocked on Hana's door. Slowly, Hana opened her door. She gave Umeko her dirty plates while Umeko gave her her meal.

"Do you want us to make you anything?" Umeko asked. After Umeko asked, Hana did not close the door immediately as she would normally do. She stood there looking at the floor. After some time, she lifted her chin up and looked for Nao.

"Is Nao with you?" Hana asked.

"He is." Umeko answered. Nao waved his hand to say hi to Hana.

"Could you bake me some cookies?" Hana requested.

"Sure! No problem!" Nao quickly answered.

"Thank you…" Then, Hana closed her door.

Umeko let out a sigh of relief. "Finally, she is talking to us. At least that is progress." Umeko said as they walked back to the kitchen. Umeko then turned to Nao to ask something.

"Where did you go earlier? I was looking for you to join me to give Hana her breakfast." Umeko told him.

Nao put his hand on his mouth. "Oh, I forgot! I am so sorry!" Nao told her.

Umeko stopped and looked at him. "You seem so preoccupied ever since the trial. Why is that?"

Nao could not say anything. He just looked at Umeko blankly. _I want to say it to her but she might do something about it that could break her trust of me. I am so sorry Umeko. _Nao thought as he continued to look at Umeko.

Umeko let out a sigh and said, "Whatever it is, I hope you take care of yourself. I do not want you to end up like Kayle, only thinking about the group to the point she forgot she is part of the group." _I know Umeko. Don't worry._

Nao wanted to say to Umeko a lot of things but all he could say was "Thank you." The two went back to the kitchen. Nao quickly made a batch of cookies as soon as he arrived at the kitchen. He flavored it with strawberries since he knew Hana loves strawberries based on her profile. As soon as the cookies were baked, he put it in a basket and the two went to Hana to give the cookies.

"Hana, here are your cookies!" Nao said as he knocked on Hana's door.

Hana opened the door and took the basket of cookies. The aroma of the strawberries wafted through the air getting her attention. "They are made with strawberries. I knew you like strawberries so made them using the fruit."

Hana took a bite and smiled a little bit. "Thank you…" She said before she closed her door.

"Did you see that? She smiled!" Umeko cheered seeing Hana's smile. _She really is happy to see Hana smile._

"We should go back and wash the dishes." Nao told her. Umeko immediately smiled. "About that, can I leave you to do it. I kind of got myself an appointment with Jirou." Umeko told Nao. _Jirou, really?_

"How?" Nao asked. Umeko sighed. "I promised him to teach him in the library so that he would leave me alone earlier so I could start cooking for lunch. He was like 'Why can't you leave the cooking to Asuka and Nao?'" Nao laughed at Umeko's story.

"Sure, no problem! Go on! I know you are excited to teach him everything you know." Nao giggled. Umeko rolled her eyes before leaving him. "Bye!" Nao went back to the cafeteria all alone. Inside were Jitsunori, Mako, Eri, Takashiro, and Reyes. The five greeted him.

"Hey! Let's watch the next movie." Mako shouted.

"I would love to but I have to wash the dishes first. You can go on without me." Nao told the five.

Reyes stood up. "Nonsense. We watched it start together, we will watch it end together. I will help you with the dishes."

"Sure." Nao told Reyes.

The two left the other four and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. While Nao was washing, Reyes suddenly opened up a conversation. "You never answered my question earlier. Why were you in the library all alone?" Reyes asked again.

Nao stopped washing and could not say a single word. Reyes continued washing as she talked. "I don't know what you are hiding but I definitely know you are hiding something. I am a princess which means I have met a lot of people in different situations. I know when someone is hiding something from me. Whatever it is, I hope it is not anything bad."

Nao continued washing as if he did not hear anything. The two quickly finished washing the dishes and rejoined the others. Before they went out of the kitchen, Reyes whispered, "Act normal. Don't let anyone think we had this conversation. I don't want the group to distrust you."

Reyes went out first with a smile. Nao followed behind her. _Why does it feel like this to have a secret? _Nao went with the others to watch Finding Dory. Unlike last time, Nao sat beside Eri instead of Reyes.

He watched the movie. However, he did not enjoy it. All he could think about is how obvious he is. _How can I hide this if people can see right through me? I don't want to betray Rei's trust. That is the last thing I want to do right now. _Occasionally, he laughed along to hide his troubled mind. _I hope I am doing enough._

After watching the movie, the group watched another movie that was picked by Jitsunori. As soon as the movie ended, the group went back to the cafeteria for dinner. Just like lunch, Nao was not able to help with preparing the meal. However, unlike last time, Jirou was helping with the food. The group finished their dinner quickly ended and everyone went to their separate ways.

Nao and Umeko decided to do the inventory again. The whole time, Nao was preoccupied. He even mistook a chisel for a mallet. It was hilarious for Umeko to see Nao confused about the two but for Nao, it was embarrassing.

_I have to get it together. Calm down Nao. Just keep breathing. Just keep breathing. Act normal._

The two eventually finished the inventory. "Nothing is missing which means nobody took anything during the day. I guess your duty for the inventory is done. I will have to do this again tomorrow with Manon." Umeko smiled at him.

"How do you keep smiling despite our situation?" Nao asked.

Umeko looked at Nao worriedly. She put her right hand on his left shoulder. "Is everything alright." Nao let out a sigh and looked at the floor. "It's just that a lot of things are in my mind right now. I don't know what to do."

Umeko quickly hugged him. "If you have any problem, you can always talk to me." Umeko looked at Nao. Nao smiled meekly back at her.

"Let's go back to our rooms. Maybe a nice sleep can help you." Umeko told him. The two walked together back to the student's quarters. They said good night to each other before going into their rooms.

_I should relax. I need to relax. _Nao quickly changed into his sleepwear before lying down on his bed. He closed his eyes. Now, his mind is filled with different thoughts. _Rei is finally opening up. She will be very helpful. Hana is getting better, thankfully. Reyes, I hope she does not think I am a bad guy. I really hope he does not. I wish I did not tell Umeko about being so preoccupied with my thoughts. She might stress about it._

Filled with thoughts, Nao was starting to fall asleep. He did not notice how tired he was with how preoccupied he is. He was starting to doze off when he was suddenly woken up by a ring from his tablet. He sat on the side of his bed and grabbed his tablet. He opened it to see a new file.

"From Monokuma,

Use this to be motivated or unmotivated. It is your choice. It is your life for you to decide, not mine. Upupupu!"

Monokuma shared a video to his tablet titled "Nao's (Un)Motivational Video".

* * *

**There you have it! I hope you liked the story. Thank you for taking the time to read this!**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, do not be shy and join my discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. If you are having a problem with it, PM me.**

**I want to know your thoughts on this chapter and what could happen in the upcoming parts of the chapter. What are your thoughts about the video****? What do you think about Rei's revelation? Write it in the reviews. I want to see what all of your thoughts are.**

**Also, someone is dying next chapter. Who do you think it will be? Answer the poll on my profile.**

**Anyway, until next time!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	19. Oh Holy Night 4

**This is it! A lot things are about to go down!**

**Before you start reading, I want to say sorry to those who visited my profile to vote for the poll of who they think will be the next victim. I forgot to make the poll visible to everyone. I forgot to make sure of that.**

**Anyway, here is the new update! I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Minutes ago, Nao received a file from Monokuma. _(un)Motivational Video? What is he up to this time? _Nao sat in silence on his bed as he gazed over the new file from Monokuma. _Should I open it or not? I know this could be another trap made by Monokuma. _Confusion filled him up. Eventually, he reached a conclusion. _I have to see this. _Hesitantly, he opened the file for him to see what it was. _I know this is not for the good but I have to see what it contains. _

The video started playing. The screen was pitch black. There was no sound nor picture but only darkness. Nao was confused by this. _What is this? _Suddenly, the video flashed a familiar room. _That is my father's bedroom! What is going on? _The video slowly showed the whole room. The shot suddenly stopped to show a frame with dangling feet.

Upon seeing this, Nao rapidly tried to stop the video from continuing to play. He repeatedly tries to press the pause button but it did not work. _No! Stop it! I can't deal with this shit! Not again! _The shot went up slowly from the feet. Then the next thing showed was the person's leg, then her body, and her neck wrapped in a noose. _Stop it! Please, stop this!_

The video suddenly cut to a shot zoomed in to Monokuma's head staring eerily at the camera. It suddenly started talking. "Poor Nao Hisoka, the Ultimate N.E.E.T.! He had a bright future ahead of him. A genius who always had straight A's; the campus crush who had everyone worshipping him for just standing pretty; a social butterfly who is friends with everyone. However, it all changed because of 'Mommy's little accident'! Hahahahahaha! Ever since then, he led a fucked up life! So useless!" Monokuma suddenly stopped talking. The video then jumped to a picture. It was Umeko's. "Why don't you do us a favor and die so that your life can be useful! Let Umeko kill you! Let her reunite you with your mommy! Isn't that what you want, to see your mommy again? Hahahahaha!" Before the video ended, Monokuma whispered that sent shivers down Nao's spine. "Be Umeko's victim…"

The video ended. Nao closed the file and was left speechless after watching the video. _What was that? I won't be Umeko's victim. I won't be anyone's victim! This…this is disturbing beyond belief. _Nao then turned his head to his door. Suddenly, he thought about the others. _Did everyone get a video like this? _Realizing this, he stood up and opened his door. As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Umeko outside of his room.

"Nao! Did you get a video from Monokuma?" Umeko quickly asked.

Nao nodded. He took out his tablet from his pocket and showed her Monokuma's message. "This is bad!" Umeko stressed as she glanced at the other rooms. _No one is going out of their rooms. Why is no one making a fuss about this?_

Suddenly, Jitsunori went out of his room and saw Umeko and Nao. "Did you receive a video as well?" He quickly asked. Following Jitsunori to get out of their rooms were Reyes and Mako. Immediately, Nao noticed the two went out of their rooms with their tablets in their hands. _They must have watched the video as well. _

"I am guessing you received a video as well. We need to have a group meeting, immediately!" Reyes went on to bang on everyone's doors. "Group meeting, now!" She shouted at every door she knocked on. Slowly, people started coming out of their rooms and most of them had their tablets in their hands.

As soon as everyone went out, including Hana and Norio, Reyes gave another command. "Let's talk about our situation in the cafeteria." Reyes went off to lead the group. Everyone followed her. When they reached the cafeteria, they sat down and looked at each other for a while. It was silent. Nobody dared to speak about the videos. _It looks like most of us have watched Monokuma's video._

Reyes let out a loud sigh and started talking. "We need to talk about the videos." Upon hearing the topic, the mood became worse. Everyone was uncomfortable. However, two people stood out from the group.

"What video are you talking about?" Hana asked the group. Everyone looked at her. _Did she not receive one? _Norio suddenly butted in. "What about it?" He asked the group. This caught everyone's attention as well. _He seemed unfazed by the video. Why?_

Everyone wanted to know why they were reacting like this. However, it was only Jitsunori who had the courage to ask. "Hana, did Monokuma send a video to you?" Hana was clueless and took out her tablet. She immediately saw the notification about the video. She put up her tablet and showed it to everyone. "Is this what you guys are talking about?"

"Yes…" Eri answered. Hana stared at her tablet for a long time. She was about to open the file when Norio quickly snatched it away from her. He stood up and took a step back away from the group. After doing so, the group saw him click on Hana's tablet. Immediately, he gave the tablet back to Hana. "I deleted the file before you could see whatever it was."

Hana became furious after hearing what Norio did. "Why! Why did you do that?" Hana shouted. On the other hand, Norio was calm and unfazed by Hana's yell. "It was a trap. Monokuma wanted you to watch that. No one should watch it. That is why I deleted my video as soon as I received the video."

_That explains why he seemed unbothered by the video. He never looked at it. _Norio added, "Monokuma's video is useless unless someone watches it." He looked around the group and smirked. "Guessing from the troubled looks, all of you except Hana watched the video."

Reyes stood up getting everyone's attention. She took some deep breaths before speaking. "Just like Norio said, we have a big problem if the majority of us watched the video." Norio snickered stopping Reyes.

"Sorry, please continue." Norio said.

"I would like to know what everyone's video contained. I am curious if what kind of video each one of us got. It could be helpful to know what Monokuma is using to tease us." Reyes added. Norio nodded. "That is actually a good idea. In that way, it will be easy to monitor people who were heavily affected by the video since they are the most likely to be manipulated. Since it is your suggestion, why don't you start sharing yours."

Reyes was shocked by Norio's suggestion. "Me?"

"Yes! Since it was your suggestion, I thought you would eventually say what your video contained. Why don't you just say it now? It would not make any difference unless you do not want to spill it." Norio taunted Reyes. _I am not surprised. Norio is a bit selfish. He will use everything he has just to make sure he will be safe. I am sure he is just doing this so that he could do some profiling._

Reyes was silent for a while. She composed herself before speaking again. "I guess you are right. My video contained pictures showing my kingdom in ruins. Monokuma told me that I should do something or else my kingdom will fall just like the pictures. And…" Reyes trailed off unable to finish her sentence. Norio was obviously curious about this pause. "And what?"

Reyes looked at Hana before continuing. "And…Monokuma suggested killing Hana if I don't want that to happen." Hana was taken aback from hearing this. She stood up putting her right hand on her chest. "Me? Why me?" Hana asked.

"I don't really know why he told me to kill you. All he said was I should consider you as an option." Reyes answered Hana which made Hana more confused. "I haven't done anything wrong to anyone. Why me? Of all people, why me?" She continued.

"Interesting…" Norio commented as he looked at the two girls. He looked at everyone else. "Did anyone else have a video similar to Reyes'?" Norio asked the group. Nao was shocked to hear about the contents of Reyes' video. _Her video is completely different from mine. Everyone's video must have been specifically made to become more effective. _

Nao raised his hand which caught Norio's attention. "What is it Nao?" Norio asked. Nao took a deep breath before speaking. "My video is completely different from Reyes'." Nao told the group. Norio raised his eyebrow hearing this.

"Will you please elaborate that." Norio said.

"I don't want to say what Monokuma used to provoke me but nonetheless, it was uncomfortable. He then continued by saying how useless my life is and I should make use of it in his game. He said that I should let…Umeko take my life." Nao looked at Umeko after narrating his video. Umeko was shocked by this.

"What? In my video, he said that I should kill you." Umeko quickly added. Everyone was shocked to hear this. _This is interesting. It looks like Monokuma is manipulating us to cooperate with each other for a murder to happen._

"Monokuma is quite a manipulative fellow. If this is the case, it probably means that, whoever Monokuma suggested to you, they received you as Monokuma's suggestion as well, either as a victim or as a killer." Norio summarized.

"It is safe to say that in my video, Monokuma was going to suggest that I should let Reyes kill me." Hana told the group. "Is anyone else willing to tell the group the contents of their video?" Norio asked. Norio then turned to Rei.

"What about you Rei? You seem calmer than your normal state." Norio said which caught Rei off-guard. :"I…I…I…" Rei could not say a single word. _She is not fidgety compared to her usual state but it is obvious the video has affected her._

"I guess it was pointless to ask you. Does anyone else want to share?" Norio told the group. No one dared to say a single word. It was completely silent in the room. Everyone could feel the tension between everyone. Distrust was forming. _This is bad. It looks like Monokuma's trap worked._

"If no one else dares to say anything, I guess it is safe to say everyone has the potential to kill except for me, Hana, Reyes, Nao, and Umeko." Norio pointed out. Umeko was surprised to be included. "Me? Why me?" She asked the attorney.

"It was because you were not too affected by the video to the point that you did not mind telling the group that Monokuma suggested Nao as your victim. If you were really considering to kill Nao, you would have just kept quiet." Norio explained.

"Well, I have a suggestion for everyone. It wouldn't make you forget about the video but it would definitely prevent you from thinking about it again. Take out your tablet." Norio ordered everyone. Since no one had any better idea, they followed Norio's command.

"Delete the video in front of everyone. After deleting, show to us that the file can no longer be found in your tablet." Norio suggested. One by one, everyone did Norio's suggestion. Nao started first. The last person to do it was Rei who was obviously hesitant to delete it.

"What is the matter?" Norio asked.

"I…I…I…Nevermind." She slowly pressed the delete button. After doing so, she showed everyone she deleted the video.

"Now that was taken care of. I have one last suggestion. Don't talk about the video after standing up from your seat right now. It would help to make everyone forget about it. Understood!" Norio told everyone.

After saying what he had to say, he stood up. "With that, I am going back to my room. Good night!" He left everyone sitting in the cafeteria. Slowly, everyone followed. One by one, people rose from their seats and went on with their lives. Eventually, Nao and Rei were the last ones to go. Before exiting the cafeteria, Rei bumped Nao on their way out. Rei dropped her notebook. The two quickly crouched. Suddenly, Rei whispered, "M-M-Monokuma knows I can…remember. He is out to get me. B-b-be careful…" Rei quickly picked up her notebook and went away.

Nao was left alone standing in the cafeteria. He was alarmed by what Rei said to him. _She is in danger. I have to tell someone about this. But if I tell what I know about Rei, I might put more people in danger. The lesser the people know, the safer they are from becoming a target._

After that, Nao went back to his room. He quickly put his tablet on his bedside table and lied down on his bed. It did not take him long to fall asleep. What happened drained him so much that he fell asleep an hour before the official nighttime.

* * *

Nao was standing inside a room that was not colored other than white. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, everything was white including the chair in the middle of the room sat on by a woman wearing a white dress.

Nao was standing exactly behind the woman. All he could see was the woman's hair. It was jet black, just like his. The fragrance of the woman was familiar to him. He knew the smell but could not pinpoint what it was.

He stood there in silence observing the woman in white. She was silently sitting. Nao could not help but feel confused. _What is happening? And, where am I? _He continued to look at the woman thinking if he should talk to the lady.

He looked around the room to see if there was any way out. After doing so, he realized he was locked inside the room with the lady. He looked back at the lady. Surprisingly, the lady was already standing. However, she was not looking at Nao.

Nao took a quick glance at the chair. His sight went back to the lady. The lady now was looking directly at him. This made Nao fall on his butt. He continued to look at the lady who had a bruise around her neck. Immediately, he recognized who the lady was.

"Come to me, son! Give me a hug." It was Nao's mom.

"No! You are dead! You are not my mom!" Nao shouted.

"I am your mom! Look at my neck sweetie! See this, this is the mark the noose left on my neck." The lady suddenly smiled.

"No!" Nao defiantly shouted as he continuously repeated to utter.

"Why don't you just join me here? Join me and your friends." The lady pointed behind Nao. Nao looked at what the lady was pointing at. Suddenly, he saw Ayumu and Kayle smiling at waving at him. He looked back at the lady whose face was inches apart from him.

"Join me!" The woman shouted at his face.

* * *

Nao suddenly woke up from his nightmare. His hands were shaking from the fear he got. _The video is getting to me. I have to be okay. I can't let this nightmare take over me. I cannot handle that again._

He took some deep breaths before taking his tablet. Then, he looked at his tablet. It was already 6:12 am. _It is morning already. I have to get up and help with breakfast. _He set his tablet aside. He grabbed his clothes from his closet before taking a shower. After taking a shower, he brushed his teeth and changed into his everyday clothes. He took his tablet before leaving his room.

Alone, he went to the kitchen. He was expecting someone to be already in the kitchen. However, to his surprise, he was the only one there. _I thought Umeko would have at least been already in here. I guess I am the first one. I should probably start cooking._

He took some ingredients from the pantry and started preparing. He thought of making chicken and waffles and vegan chicken just like how Umeko taught him last time. _I will help the group even if all I could do is this much. _Nao continued preparing. As he was frying, Umeko suddenly barged in the kitchen.

"Nao!" Umeko shouted.

Immediately, Nao looked at her with confusion. "What is it?" Nao asked.

"We got a problem." Umeko told him. Nao turned off the fryer and the waffle-maker. He went to Umeko.

"What is the problem?" Nao asked.

"A pack of Poison R and a bottle of chloroform is missing from the clinic." Umeko told him. _What? A pack of poison is missing._

"Manon and I were doing our rounds for the inventory. While we were checking the clinic, we realized a pack of Poison R and a bottle of chloroform is missing. Someone must have snuck in last night and grabbed some of those." Umeko went out of the kitchen. Nao followed her outside to find Manon with Reyes and Jitsunori sitting beside her.

"This is bad. Someone is already making a move." Reyes uttered as she stared at the floor.

"I am guessing you have told Reyes and Jitsunori about this." Nao told Umeko.

"We had to." Umeko said.

"What are the effects of Poison R?" Nao asked Umeko as they approach the other three.

"According to the label, it can cause fainting, fever, and lethargy. It does not have any deadly effect but it is still alarming." Umeko told him. The two finally reached the three.

"The worst-case scenario is someone is preparing to kill." Jitsunori told the group.

Manon, who is notably awake considering she is always during this time of day, asked Jitsunori. "What should we do about this?"

"We need to be careful. We do not really know what the person is intending to do with the poison." Jitsunori answered.

"What does the poison look like?" Nao asked.

"It looks like red powder." Manon answered.

"It is packed inside a ziplock bag with the label 'Poison R'" Umeko added.

"Goddamn it! I did not expect this to happen! I should have been more careful!" Reyes shouted as she slammed her fist on the table. Jitsunori put his hand on hers. "Let's calm down. We need to create a plan. We know that someone is plotting something. We should tell everyone about this so that they are extra careful." Jitsunori told the others.

"You are right! Anger will not solve our problem. I just cannot believe this is happening again!" Reyes told the group.

"I will go back to cooking. Umeko, if you want, you can help in cooking." Nao told Umeko.

"Sure!" Umeko said.

"I will go and fetch Roxanne. She wanted me to wake her up. Can I tell her about the situation already?" Manon told the group.

"I think you should. Just tell her not to overreact." Reyes told Manon. After that, Manon went off to get Asuka. As soon as Manon went away, Jirou entered the room. "Manon is quite awake. What is happening?" Jirou asked.

"A pack of poison and a bottle of chloroform is missing." Reyes answered.

"What? When?" Jirou asked.

"They were taken last night. Be on the lookout for anyone with any of the two." Jitsunori answered.

"I will. But for now, let's cook breakfast." Jirou replied.

"I already started cooking." Nao told everyone.

"I will help with whatever you need." Jirou told him. The three went inside and continued preparing for breakfast. Nao turned on the fryer and the waffle-maker. He gave Jirou the responsibility to cook the waffles while he let Umeko help him with the chicken. A few more minutes, Asuka entered the chicken who was obviously angry.

"I can't believe someone stole a pack of poison! They better not use it or they will feel my fucking wrath. I cannot believe someone can stoop that fucking low!" Asuka continued to go off about the mystery poison thief. Eventually, she got tired of talking and asked what she can help with.

"Why don't you make some refreshments?" Jirou suggested.

"Let's make some juice." Umeko added.

"Two pitchers of juice coming right up!" Asuka went to the Sweets fridge. She opened it up to see that there weren't any fruits in it. "There aren't any fruits to make juice with." Asuka told the other three.

"That is too bad!" Jirou commented.

Asuka continued to look at the fridge. She immediately saw two mason jars labeled apple juice powder and strawberry juice powder. "Guys! Look at what I found! We have powdered juice but there are only two available flavors, apple and strawberry. Which one do you guys want?" Asuka asked.

"Any would be fine." Jirou answered.

"I don't know what to choose." Nao answered.

"You can pick what you like Asuka." Umeko told Asuka.

"We are going to drink apple juice today!" Asuka told the group. She took the mason jar out and made two pitchers of apple juice. As soon as she was finished with the juice, the last piece of chicken and waffle were finished cooking. The four put everything on a trolley including a pitcher of water and went to the cafeteria. They were greeted by everyone except for Hana and Norio who were not in the room.

The four quickly served the food. As they were eating, Reyes told the group about the situation. "A pack of Poison R and a bottle of chloroform is missing. Be on-guard all the time." Reyes said. It dampened the mood of the group but it did not stop them from eating. The group ate and drank what they were served.

Nao got full quickly. After drinking a glass of water, he was offered by Asuka some of the red apple juice. "Do you want me to pour some for you?" Asuka asked. Nao politely declined. "Thank you but I am already full."

"Okay!" After Nao, Asuka offered Jirou some of the juice. "Don't! I don't like apples." Jirou told Asuka. The group continued to eat. Eventually, everyone was done eating. Everyone went on with their own groups.

Nao was left Umeko, Eri, and Takashiro. "Did you like your breakfast?" Umeko asked the two. Eri simply nodded while Takashiro put his thumbs up. "It was delicious! Thank you for the meal!" Nao smiled hearing the two.

Umeko stood up and grabbed a plate of chicken and waffles and a glass of the juice. Seeing this, Nao stood up and understood that it was time for them to give Hana her food. They were bout to leave the room when suddenly, they heard a loud thud behind them. The two turned around to see Eri and Takashiro lying on the floor.

Umeko quickly put down the plate of food and went to the two. "Eri! Takashiro! Are you guys alright! Wake up you two!" Umeko continuously shook the two to wake them up but nothing was happening. Nao put his hand on their foreheads.

"Their temperature is rising. It looks they are having a fever." Nao told Umeko. _They have fainted and have a fever. Don't tell me… _Nao looked at Umeko who is worried about the two. "Umeko, I think they are poisoned!" Nao told Umeko.

"What? But how?" Umeko asked. She looked at the two who looked helpless. "We should get them to the quarantine room. It might be better for them to stay there for now." Nao told Umeko. Umeko agreed with Nao Suggestion. Umeko carried Eri and her teddy bear in her arms while Nao took Takashiro. The two were walking to the quarantine room when they saw Samuru and Manon carrying Asuka.

"Roxanne has fainted as well?" Nao asked.

"She suddenly fell to the ground." Manon told the two.

Samuru noticed they were carrying Eri and Takashiro. "What happened to those two?"

"The same thing. They suddenly fainted. We are taking them to the quarantine room." Nao told Samuru.

"We should take Asuka there as well." Samuru quickly carried Asuka. The three hurriedly made their way to the quarantine rooms. They put Eri and Takashiro in the same room while Asuka in a separate room.

"We should look for the others." Samuru suggested. They looked for the others. Immediately, they saw Jitsunori, Mako, and Reyes lying on the floor in front of the museum. "Not them too!" Umeko exclaimed.

Samuru carried Mako and Jitsunori while Nao and Umeko helped in carrying Reyes. The four were able to carry the three safely to the quarantine rooms. Samuru put Mako and Jitsunori in the same room while Nao and Umeko put Reyes in the same room with Asuka.

"We need to look for Jirou, Rei, Hana, and Norio to make sure they are okay." Samuru told the other three. "Where do you guys think they are right now?" Samuru asked.

"Hana and Norio are probably in their rooms right now." Umeko answered.

"My guess is that Jirou is in the library." Nao suggested.

"Our only problem now is Rei. Let's go to the library first since it is the nearest to us." Samuru said. They all followed Samuru to the library. Immediately, they saw Jirou entering the library. "Jirou! Are you alright?" Umeko shouted.

Jirou looked at the group's direction. He was confused with the commotion. "What is happening?" The group immediately explained to Jirou the current situation. "The killer already made their move? When? How?" Jirou asked.

"We don't know. We are just looking for everyone to make sure everyone else is okay." Nao answered.

"Do you know where Rei is?" Umeko asked.

"She just entered the library before you stopped me." Jirou answered.

"Lucky us!" Umeko shouted. The five entered the library. Entering the library, they immediately remembered how the library was similar to a maze. "We should not split up. We need to be there for each other in case something happens." Samuru told the group.

The group had no clue where Rei could have gone. However, Nao had and idea where she could have gone. _She is probably where she led me yesterday. _Sneakily, he pointed at random directions to lead them to where he thinks Rei is. When they got to where Nao thinks Rei went, they saw Rei.

"Rei! Are you alright?" Umeko quickly went to the novelist to check if she was fine.

"I'm fine. Did something…happen?" Rei asked.

Samuru explained to Rei their current situation. Rei was mortified by the situation. She could not believe what was happening. "S-s-someone is truly plotting a m-m-murder?" Rei was starting to shake out of nervousness. However, surprisingly, she tried to calm herself down.

"We need to look for Hana and Norio." Manon told everyone.

The group went to look for Hana and Norio. They let out a sigh of relief when they found the two in their rooms. After knowing that they were alright, they quickly informed the two of their situation. "What? Someone is already making a move?" Norio said.

Hana's hand started to shake from fear. "Someone is going to die again…" Hana weakly said as she looked at the others.

Suddenly, Samuru stomped loudly and grabbed his battle-ax. "No one is going to die! The poison is not even lethal. This means that the person responsible for this fiasco still has something in plan. We just have to make sure whatever it is, it will not happen."

_Samuru is right. Even though they successfully poisoned six of us, it does not mean someone has already died. The poison is not lethal. We just have to take care of them and guard each other. _The group quickly listened to Samuru who naturally took the lead.

"Obviously, the killer is going to target one of the six since they are the most vulnerable at the moment. We should guard them at all times." Samuru told the group. Everyone agreed to this idea, even Norio who has not shown any care for any of the people he was trapped up until this point.

"I think it would be optimal if we do shifts when it comes to guarding the sick. In that way, people will be in better condition to guard." Jirou suggested.

"Why don't we split the group into two?" Manon suggested.

"I think that would be enough. We should group ourselves." Samuru asked. Samuru quickly assembled the teams randomly. Samuru grouped himself with Hana, Manon, and Jirou. Nao was left with Umeko, Norio, and Rei.

"Now, what is the schedule of our shifts?" Nao asked.

Jirou quickly had a suggestion. "I suggest that Nao's group take the night shift if that is okay since Nao and Umeko are the ones who usually cook for the group. They could take over the shift after dinner. Does anyone have a problem with that?" Everyone agreed with Jirou's suggestion. Because of that, Samuru's group quickly went to the quarantine rooms to guard the six. On the other hand, Nao's group went to the kitchen and started preparing food for everyone since lunch was already near.

Umeko took the lead when it came to cooking. She decided that they should cook a vegan soup for the sick and chicken stroganoff for the rest who was not poisoned. She assigned Nao and Norio on the stroganoff while Rei was with her when it came to cooking the soup. Out of the four, it was only Rei who did not know how to cook.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I am not much of a help…" Rei told the group as she watched everyone busy themselves with cooking. Umeko looked at Rei and smiled. "It is alright. It is normal that not everyone can cook." Umeko told Rei who was standing beside her hugging her notebook.

"Can you please pass me the potatoes?" Umeko asked Rei. Immediately, Rei handed her the bowl of diced potatoes. Rei looked at Nao who was busy cooking alongside Norio. Nao was having a difficult time cooking with Norio since Norio would not communicate with him.

_Why is Norio so quiet? He could at least tell me what he has already done so that I would know what else I can do. _Nao quickly tapped Norio on the shoulder who was deep in thoughts while chopping parsley. Norio quickly snapped out of his daze and looked at Nao.

"Yes? Is there something you want?" Norio asked Nao.

"Is there anything else I have to do?" Nao asked.

Norio looked at all of the ingredients they have prepared. "We are actually done with prepping the ingredients. We should start cooking." Norio quickly grabbed a pot and filled it with water. He put it on the stove and let it boil.

"I have everything under control." Norio told Nao. After that, Nao went to Umeko who was busy cooking the soup.

"Hey, Norio looks like he can handle cooking the stroganoff alone. Is there something else I can help with?" Nao asked. Umeko looked at the soup she was cooking. "Everything is fine over here. Maybe you can grab some medicine from the clinic for the people who were poisoned." Umeko suggested.

Nao quickly took Umeko's advice. He was about to leave the kitchen when Rei suddenly called him. "Nao! Uhmmm…where are you going?" Rei asked.

"I am going to the clinic to grab some medicine." Nao answered. Rei went to him. "Can I come with you?" Rei asked. Nao was not bothered by the thought of being with Rei and let her join him. The two then went out of the kitchen and made their way to the clinic.

On their way, Rei suddenly opened up a conversation. "Nao, I am scared." She said in a shaky voice. Hearing this alarmed Nao. _Rei is trembling in fear. Monokuma must have really frightened her with her video. I must know what her video was._

Hesitantly, Nao asked Rei, "Why are you so scared? What did Monokuma show you?" Rei took a minute before answering him. "I-I-I did not receive a video." This quickly intrigued him. _She did not receive a video? Then, what did she delete in front of everyone?_

"What did you receive?" Nao asked.

"I-i-its was a recorded message of Monokuma. He simply said that…" Rei trailed off. Obviously, she was hesitant to share it but Nao knew he had to find out to know what Rei is dealing with. "What did he say?" Nao asked.

Rei stopped walking and looked at him. "He said that…my days are numbered. He will make sure that the next trial will be for me. Nao, I don't want to die!" Rei quickly fell to her knees as she started to cry in front of Nao.

Nao quickly went down on his knees and hugged her as he tried to console her. _That is one crazy message. Monokuma really wants her dead. Other than the people who were poisoned, she should be also be protected. _"We should tell everyone about this so that more people can protect you." Nao told Rei as he consoled her.

Rei quickly wiped her tears off and shook her head. "Please, do not do that! I-i-if more people know what I know, th-th-the more people will be targeted by Monokuma. I-I-I cannot handle that." Nao was surprised by this. Anyone would have agreed with his suggestion except for her. _She would rather carry the burden alone._

"Why?" Nao asked. Rei stared at Nao for a long time before answering him. "I do not want to cause a problem for anyone anymore. I have always carried misfortune to everyone I have ever encountered. Just this time, I want to make sure no one meets an unfortunate accident because they have met me." Nao was shocked. _She thinks she is some sort of a bringer of bad luck._

"The moment I was born, I messed up my family's life! My mom died giving birth to me! After a few years, I saw my dad, who was a policeman, get shot in the head in his bedroom by someone he has arrested before. I just went to his room because I had a nightmare. Seconds after entering his room, he got shot because he stood up from his bed to pick me up. If he did not stand up, maybe he would still be alive. After that, I was separated from my brother. Until now, I do not know where he is. I hope he is somewhere better since he is away from my bad luck.

In school, I was able to make friends but all of their lives went downhill after meeting me. I had two best friends. One of them was diagnosed with terminal cancer while the other one was raped and killed in an alleyway. If they have not known me, they might be living a better life right now.

I want to stop living a life causing pain to everyone. No one should continue to suffer because of me. I cannot look at someone suffering because of me. For the first time, I want to be helpful not destructive!"

Nao could not help but pity Rei after hearing her life. _Why is she blaming herself for things she had no control over? What made her think her existence is wrong? Did no one ever tell her that none of it was her fault? Did no one ever care for her to say nothing was wrong with her? _He could not do anything other than hug her.

"Rei, none of it was your fault. You have to stop thinking that you a curse with you everywhere you go. Sometimes, life sucks. However, it does not mean everything that sucks in your life is your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself." Nao told her as he continued to console her.

"Th-th-thank you…I really needed that…" Rei told him as she wiped her tears.

Rei stood up and continued to walk. "W-w-we should get those medicines for everyone." Nao stood up as well and continued to walk to the clinic. Eventually, they reached the clinic and grabbed the medicine they needed. Immediately, they went back to the kitchen to help with preparing lunch.

* * *

The group was already finished eating dinner. This meant that it was time for Nao's group's shift. As soon as they were done washing the dishes, Nao's group went to the quarantine room to replace the other group.

"Good luck! When something strange happens, don't hesitate to ask for my help!" Samuru told Nao's group. Samuru's group left the other group to go back to their rooms and sleep. In front of the quarantine rooms were Nao, Umeko, Norio, and Rei. The four were silently sitting on the floor guarding the rooms.

Nao was sitting in the hallway beside Umeko. On the other hand, Norio was standing beside the door of the room where Jitsunori and Mako are staying while Rei was sitting in front of Eri and Takashiro's room. As time passed by, the group continued with their duty.

Nao could not help but feel drowsy. He decided to talk to Umeko to wake himself up. "Who do you think stole the poison and the chloroform?" Nao whispered. Umeko was surprised by his question. She looked at him thinking of an answer. "I don't really know who could do this. Obviously, it can't be the ones who were poisoned."

Nao knew Umeko does not have anyone on his mind. Even he had no guess for the person's identity. He looked at Norio who was battling sleepiness. "Norio, do you have any idea who could have done this?" He asked. After hearing his question, Norio's sleepiness went away.

"I don't have any idea who could have done this. No one is showing any weird behavior. However, I have made an observation these past few days." Norio said. He quickly looked at Rei who was hugging her notebook. "Rei seems to be handling the situation weirdly." Rei was alarmed by this statement.

"W-w-what d-d-do you mean by that?" Rei quickly asked.

"In this kind of situation, I thought you would be more…what word should I use…fidgety." Norio said. Norio stopped to see Rei's reaction. Her hands were starting to tremble. Norio continued. "However, this past few days, it seemed like you are trying to hide your fear and I do not know why."

_He is exactly right. Rei is hiding it but to a trained eye like Norio's, it is easy to see her fear. _"What are you saying about Rei then?" Nao asked.

Norio looked at Nao and said, "I don't mean anything bad with what I said. I just wanted to point out that there is something different with her." Rei was obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. She looked at the floor and decided to not comment on it.

"Staying silent…I guess that is what you are best at." Norio added.

Nao decided to stop commenting as well. _I should just shut up. I might just end up making this conversation more uncomfortable for everyone. _Since no one had anything to say about Norio's comment, Norio decided to shut up as well and continue to do their shift silently.

Some of them cannot help but fall asleep from the night shift. Rei fell asleep hugging her book while Umeko was sleeping on Nao's shoulder. Nao decided to wake them up and let them be. _Norio and I can do this shift. _

Nao was surprised that Norio is able to stay awake for a long time. In the group, he always thought of Norio as one of the sleepyheads. He always looked lethargic and refused to move with effort if he can. _Norio is holding up pretty well. During the meeting this morning, I thought he would fall asleep during our shift. Surprisingly, he is the only one awake with me. I guess he will do anything to be safe._

Nao took out his tablet. He saw the time was already 11:59 pm. _One minute before midnight… _The time suddenly became 12:00 midnight. Out of nowhere, a ringing sound echoed through the hallways. Suddenly, a crashing sound appeared. However, the ringing sound did not stop.

Umeko and Rei woke up from the noise. "What is that?" Umeko asked. "I think the sound is coming from the museum. We should check it out." Nao told Umeko. The pair decided to check it out. Norio and Rei were left to guard the quarantine room.

The two went inside the museum to see an alarm clock covered with shards of a broken vase. "What happened here?" Umeko asked. The two went to it closer to examine it. "Who did this and when did they do this?" Nao asked as he picked up the clock.

As the two were examining the alarm clock and the broken vase, the two heard the door of the museum shut. Immediately, the pair went to the door to open it. To their surprise, they could not open it and were locked inside.

"Open this door!" Umeko shouted as she slammed her hand on the door. "Norio! Rei! Help! We are locked in!" Nao shouted. After shouting some more, Nao decided to force his way out of the room by flinging himself onto the door. After a few failed attempts, he stopped. "What is happening?" Umeko asked. Nao could not answer her. He was clueless. _This must be a part of the plan of the person who poisoned everyone. I hope Norio and Rei are fine._

The two could not do anything but shout for help. Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door. "Norio! Rei, is that you?" Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a person in a black cloak and a gas mask.

The two were surprised to see who freed them. Suddenly, the person sprayed a mist at Umeko's face. Umeko quickly fell to the ground. Nao tried to catch him but he was suddenly sprayed as well by the mysterious person. He tried to fight back the urge to close his eyes but he could not. Slowly, he fell asleep.

* * *

Nao suddenly woke up to a familiar voice. "Nao! Wake up! Are you alright? Say something!" Nao opened his eyes to see Manon behind him. He was lying on the ground with his hands tied behind his back. In front of him was Umeko who was still asleep. Just like him, her hands were tied behind his back. Manon freeing him from the silk that was used to tie him up. After freeing him, Manon went to Umeko to free her as well.

Slowly, Umeko woke up as well. "Thank god both of you are alright!" Manon as she finished untying Umeko. The two sat up straight as they tried to remember what happened to them. "What happened to us?" Nao asked.

"We don't know! We just saw you two in here like this." Manon answered.

"Where are Samuru and the others? Are they okay?" Nao asked.

It was evident in Manon's eyes that there is something wrong. Nao and Umeko became increasingly worried. "What is wrong Manon? Tell us?" Manon could not say it. Umeko put hr arms on Manon's shoulder. "What is it? Tell us! Please! What happened?"

"Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our school trial!" Monokuma quickly turned off the audio system.

Suddenly, Hana came rushing through the door. "Manon, we finally found…" Hana stopped after seeing Nao and Umeko. Nao quickly turned to Hana. "What is wrong?" Nao asked. Hana could not continue what she was going to say.

"You guys should see it for yourselves." The three quickly followed Hana. They immediately noticed they were headed to the vault where the expensive clothes were stored. In front of the opened vault, Nao could see three people peeking inside the vault. Nao quickly ran towards them to see what they were looking at.

"What are you guys looking at?" Nao asked. He suddenly turned his gaze inside the vault. Suddenly, chills went down his spine upon seeing the horrific. All he could do was put his hands on his mouth and deny that what he was seeing was true.

"This can't be happening! No! No! No! How did this happen?" Nao said. Umeko and Manon were finally beside him. Just like Nao, all they could do was deny. "How could someone do this!" Umeko shouted.

Inside the vault was the lifeless body of Rei Kurosawa, the Ultimate Supernatural Novelist, lying on the floor beside her notebook with one of her hands around her neck and with her face showing how much she struggled before taking her final breath.

* * *

**Oh Holy Night... (Daily Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 13**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 3**

* * *

**That is it! We finally have our 2nd victim for the story! It was none other than the mysterious Rei. I hope you have enjoyed her reading! She was definitely peculiar which made her a lot of fun to write. I want to say thank you to Abitat Eco for submitting her! She was a really great character! I hope I gave justice to your character with the way I wrote her.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, do not be shy and join my discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. **

**Now that we know who our victim is, do you have any hunch of who could have done it? Are you surprised by her fate in this chapter?**

**Who do you think killed her? I have a poll on my profile. This time I will make sure it is visible for everyone. Hahahahaha!**

**Anyway, until next time!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	20. Oh Holy Night 5

**Hi guys! I really had a hard time writing this update that is why it took me longer than usual.**

**Anyway, here are the clues! I hope you will enjoy this update! **

* * *

The seven students stood in front of the lifeless body of Rei. They could not believe what they were looking at. Of all people, they could not believe Rei was killed. Rei never made an enemy in the group. No one could think of a reason why she was picked, other than Nao.

Nao knelt to the ground in silence thinking of his last private conversation Rei. _She told me Monokuma was out to get her. I knew she was in danger but I was not able to do anything. She trusted me! Whoever did this must have been manipulated by Monokuma. Rei knew too much. If she is not dead, who knows what she could have unfolded to us. Unfortunately, she was a threat and Monokuma decided to eliminate her. I will make sure I will give Rei justice._

After recalling the event last night, Nao could not help but feel confused. _A lot went down yesterday. Everything feels rushed. Because of that, I am confident the killer must have committed a few mistakes along the way._

After some silence, Manon quickly turned to Nao who was still kneeling on the floor. "What happened last night?" Manon asked. She voiced out the thoughts of her group. _I wish I know the answer to that. _Nao did not know how to put into words what happened to them. All he could do was look at Manon with sadness in his eyes.

Seeing that Nao can't answer her, Manon turned to Umeko for an explanation. Umeko tried her best to tell everyone what she recalled. "All I could remember is that Nao and I checked the museum. Suddenly, we were locked inside and drugged to sleep."

Manon sighed and commented on their situation. "I could already tell we are in for a messy trial." Uttering the word "trial", it reminded most of them of what they were to do next. Hana suddenly trembled in fear. "I can't deal with this again! Even if we successfully uncover the killer's identity, we are going to lose another one of us. In the end, we are going to have to deal with another death." Hana told the group.

No one could comment on Hana's thoughts. She was right. Even if they win the trial, they will still have to lose one of them. Even though they know that person is a murderer, they could not help but associate that person with their fondest memories together. In the end, they will still feel like the ones who lost. _I can't imagine one of us is a killer. But then again, we are in the hands of a psychotic bear who knows how to nudge us to do his biddings._

Everyone was feeling uneasy with the thought of possibly executing a dear friend of theirs, except for Samuru. Samuru was fuming with anger. He cannot believe one of them is a murderer. He quickly grabbed his battle-ax and hit it to the floor leaving a crack on it. "Whoever you are, I will never forgive you! Rei never did anything wrong! She was weird but kind. You have reasons to kill but no reason is enough to justify a death ending with the victim looking like this." He grabbed his battle-ax and pointed it at Rei's face.

It was evident Rei struggled. Nao could not imagine how painful her death must have been to leave her in her state. Samuru quickly turned to everyone. "I will make sure you get what you deserve!" Samuru declared frightening the group. _He sounds like an overly self-righteous version of Monokuma._

Nao stood up and looked at the group. "We should start investigating. I think we should do it by the group just like last time to monitor everyone carefully." Nao suggested. Everyone agreed. Nao was grouped with Umeko and Norio. Samuru partnered himself with Manon while Jirou picked Hana.

Before the group dispersed, Monokuma suddenly appeared. "That took you long enough! That was so bo-riiiiing! I was expecting Samuru to throw a bigger tantrum but I guess his threat will be enough! Sometimes I wonder if you are on my side Samuru!" Monokuma teased.

Hearing this, Samuru was angered prompting him to throw his ax at Monokuma. Everyone was scared for their lives when Samuru let go of his ax. Luckily for Monokuma, he dodged it. "Hihihihihi! You missed. Good thing you missed or else you might have been punished for violating rule #6. You have a short fuse! I love it!" Monokuma continued to tease.

Samuru was about to tackle him when Manon blocked his way. "Stop it! He is toying with you. It is not worth it. Plus, you are tampering the crime scene. How can we solve this murder if you obliterate the crime scene?" Mano reasoned with him. Luckily, it was enough to calm him down.

"Bitch! You are ruining my plan! Ughhhhh! Anyway, I came here to tell you guys that only seven of you will be able to attend the trial. The other six are too poisoned that they can't even stand up on their own. But don't worry, they will still be able to participate. I have a plan but I am pretty sure most of them are going to be useless." Suddenly, Monokuma disappeared into thin air.

After Monokuma's speech, everyone looked at each other. _There are only so few of us. Will we be enough for this case? I do not have a choice. I guess this is all the people I can rely on for clues. _After that, the group went on to their separate ways. After a few seconds, all of them received their first fact. Nao opened his tablet to see a new folder titled "Case #2: Rei Kurosawa". He opened it to see an autopsy report.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #2**

**The victim is Rei Kurosawa. The estimated time of her death was 12:53 am. The victim died of asphyxiation. She was found dead inside the vault.**

* * *

_Asphyxiation? _This quickly caught Nao's attention. After reading the fact, Nao and Umeko went to Rei's body. Near Rei was Samuru and Manon checking her body for any interesting things to take note of.

"Hey, did you guys find something weird?" Umeko asked the two. Manon looked at her to answer them. "The autopsy seems to be right but we don't have any way to confirm it. However, we did find something weird." Manon pointed out Rei's left temple.

_Are those glass shards? _Rei's left temple was bloody covered in small glass shards.

* * *

**Fact #2: Bloody Temple**

**Rei has a bloody wound on her left temple. It is covered in glass shards.**

* * *

_How did those glass shards get there? How did she get this wound? _Nao quickly asked himself. _Rei's murder is getting messier by the minute. _After being filled with questions, Nao decided to set those questions aside for the trial.

He decided to continue to examine Rei. As he was looking at her, he immediately noticed her left hand. Unlike her right hand that was grabbing her neck, her left hand was lying on the floor closed. Nao decided to kneel and open it. To his surprise, he found something inside her fist. He took it out to show everyone what he found.

"Guys, I found this in her hand." Nao raised it. It was a pen.

* * *

**Fact #3: Pen**

**Rei was found dead holding a pen in her left hand.**

* * *

_ Why does she have a pen? _It threw Nao off for some reason. He still could not think of how to connect the pen to Rei's murder. _Maybe if I find more clues, I will be able to connect the pen in the murder._

"What is that doing in there?" Manon asked.

"Interesting…Quite an unusual thing to hold during anyone's dying moments…" Norio added.

"We don't know but it must be important." Umeko answered.

"We should just continue with our investigation. Maybe we might find something along the way." Nao told the group.

Sufficed by what they got, Nao, Umeko, and Norio were about to leave the room when Samuru suddenly asked them to stop. Nao looked back to ask Samuru. "What is it? Do you need anything from us?" Nao asked. Samuru and Manon went up to them.

Samuru cleared up his throat before speaking again. "Before you leave, we just want to get your testimonies of what happened last night." Samuru told the group. Manon quickly added, "You guys might have something important about this case." The three agreed to cooperate. _I guess it is not an unusual request since we were the last ones to be around Rei. _

Manon looked at Norio to get his statement first. "Well then, I shall begin. Around midnight, a loud ringing sound echoed through this floor. Nao and Umeko and checked it out. They were gone for quite a while. Suddenly, someone in a black cloak and a gas mask appeared and sprayed me with something. After that, I fell asleep. I was woken up by Samuru and Jirou." Norio said.

* * *

**Fact #4: Ringing Sound**

**Norio heard a ringing sound around midnight.**

* * *

**Fact #5: Norio's Testimony**

**A person in a black cloak and a gas mask sprayed him something in the face to make him fall asleep when Nao and Umeko were gone.**

* * *

"What about you two?" Manon asked.

Umeko took the lead when it came to telling their testimony. "Just like what Norio said, a loud ringing sound blasted through this hallway. Nao and I could tell it was coming from the museum so we checked it out. We noticed something was wrong in the museum so we investigated. While we were investigating, someone locked us inside the room. After a few more minutes, the door was unlocked but we were sprayed in the face by probably the same person who attacked Norio."

Samuru looked at Nao. "Is she missing something?"

Nao quickly replied, "She was the first one to be sprayed. I could not do anything but be sprayed by the same person as well."

* * *

**Fact #4: Ringing Sound(REVISED)**

**Nao, Umeko, and Norio heard a ringing sound around midnight. Nao and Umeko thought it came from the museum.**

* * *

**Fact #6: Nao and Umeko's Testimony**

**The two checked out the ringing sound from the museum. While the two were investigating the room, the two were trapped inside. After a few minutes, a person in a black cloak and a gas mask sprayed Nao after Umeko was sprayed and fell asleep.**

* * *

"Thank you! That gave us a lot of things to think about with what happened last night." Manon thanked the three.

"No problem! Anything to help solve this case!" Umeko cheered.

After that, the three went to the museum next. Before entering, the three quickly noticed a lot of things that are out of place in the entrance. Norio quickly pointed out one of the statues. "Look, was it like this when you two came here last night?" Norio was talking about how one of the statues is holding its spear upside down.

* * *

**Fact #7: Statue**

**A statue was holding its spear upside down.**

* * *

"It was definitely not like that when we came here last night." Umeko told Norio.

"This is something to take note of." Norio told the two.

Norio and Umeko were about to completely dismiss the spear when Nao pointed out something weird about the spear. "Guys, look at this. There is a chip on it." Nao put his finger on the chip of the spear.

"That was not there before." Umeko commented.

* * *

**Fact #8: Chipped Spear**

**The misplaced spear is chipped.**

* * *

"The spear was definitely used, but for what?" Norio asked.

Since they could not think of anything to answer, they moved on to the few more things they have noticed outside of the museum. Beside the statue wrongly holding its spear was a potted plant. However, what was weird is that it looks like it has been doused with something. _Its soil is really wet. And it leaves are dripping in some sort of liquid._

* * *

**Fact #9: "Watered" Plant**

**A plant beside one of the statues was newly watered.**

* * *

"Let me take a closer look." Umeko knelt down and was going to get her face only inches apart from the plant when Nao suddenly stopped her by blocking her from the plant. "Stop!" Nao quickly told Umeko.

"Why?" Umeko asked. Nao simply pointed at the empty spray bottle beside the potted plant.

"It looks like that is the spray bottle our killer used." Norio told the two. "I could already think what happened with that after our killer was done with it." Nao added. The three looked at each other and instantly knew they were thinking of the same thing.

* * *

**Fact #10: Empty Spray Bottle**

**An empty spray bottle was found beside the wet plant.**

* * *

After seeing that there was nothing left for them to discover, Norio grabbed onto the two door handles above the doorknobs and pulled it to open the room. The three went inside. Nao quickly remembered his struggle with Umeko to get out of the room last night. _I hope the killer left something in here for us to get. _

As soon as the three stepped in, they quickly noticed first the silk that was used by the killer to tie up Nao and Umeko. One silk was colored pink while the other one was patterned. "These two are very different from each other." Norio noted. Umeko took a closer look and immediately recognized the two silks. "These are from the vault!"

* * *

**Fact #11: Silk**

**Two different silks from the vault were used to tie up Nao and Umeko last night after falling asleep.**

* * *

After that, the three moved on to the broken vase. The broken vase was white adorned with blue patterns. "This vase must have cost a fortune. It is unfortunate to see it broken like this." Norio commented as he looked at the shards.

Covered in the shards of the broken vase was a black rectangular digital alarm clock. Umeko picked it up to see how it works. "Let's see how this goes…" After a few moments of tinkering, she was able to figure out how it works.

She gave the alarm clock to the two gentlemen. "Look! You can set for how long the alarm clock will have to wait before it goes off. It is unlike any traditional alarm clocks. You could set it to go off after more than 24 hours. And look, it has the option to 'jump up and down'." Umeko told the duo.

_That is interesting. It means this set up could have been done for longer than one day._

* * *

**Fact #12: Broken Vase**

**Shards of a broken vase are scattered on the floor.**

* * *

**Fact #13: Alarm Clock**

**An alarm clock was found inside the museum covered in shards of the broken vase. It has the option to go off after more than 24 hours it was set up. It also has the option to "jump up and down".**

* * *

Seeing that there was nothing left to find in the museum, the three went out of the museum to explore other areas. The group was passing through the hallway when they noticed something on one of the doors of the quarantine area. "Guys, look!" Umeko pointed at a broken mirror of one of the doors. It was covered in blood as well.

"What happened?" Nao asked.

"I noticed that as soon as I woke up earlier. I forgot about it." Norio told the two. Below the door were small shards presumably from the broken mirror.

"Whose room is this?" Norio asked.

"Eri and Takashiro are staying inside." Umeko answered.

* * *

**Fact #14: Broken Mirror**

**The mirror on the door of the quarantine room Eri and Takashiro are staying in is broken and covered in blood. Shards of it are found below the door.**

* * *

While Nao was staring at the door, an idea quickly came to his mind. _Did anyone tell the six poisoned that Rei is dead? _Nao quickly brought it up to Norio and Umeko. Umeko was quickly saddened. "I don't want to be the bearer of bad news especially in their state." Umeko told the two men.

"I think we should tell them. I will do it." Nao volunteered. The two agreed. The three decided to enter Eri and Takashiro's room first. Norio slowly opened the door to see how the two were doing.

"They seem to be asleep." Norio told the two.

"Should we still bother them?" Umeko asked.

Norio sighed. "We have to. They deserve to know what is happening. Plus, they might have seen something. Remember, the mirror acts as a see-through glass from the inside of the room." Norio reminded the two.

The three entered. As soon as the three stepped in, Takashiro slowly woke up. "Hi guys!" Takashiro greeted everyone before he coughed. The three could not say anything after Takashiro smiled at them. Umeko decided to wake up Eri as well.

Eri was hugging Honey tightly as she slept. This view made it harder for Umeko to wake her up. "I can't do this…" Umeko murmured. After hearing Umeko, Nao decided to help Umeko wake up Eri. Nao lightly tapped Eri on her shoulder. "Eri, it is time to wake up. We have something to tell." After a few seconds, Eri woke up.

"G-g-good morning…Uhmmm…Are you here to give us our breakfast?" Eri asked. The three exchanged looks.

"We are not here to give you guys your breakfast. We have to tell you guys something…" Umeko trailed off. She looked at Nao to tell him to continue. "Rei is dead."

Eri and Takashiro were left speechless. They could not believe what they were hearing. "How?" Takashiro asked. The three just gestured that they don't know. "We are currently investigating how things went down last night." Norio told the two.

"How can we help?" Takashiro asked.

"We were wondering if anyone of you saw something last night." Umeko asked.

Takashiro shook his head. "I am sorry. I was in deep sleep last night." Takashiro told the trio. The three then turned their attention to Eri.

"I saw something…" Eri mumbled.

This quickly caught their attention. "What did you see?" Norio asked.

Eri looked at the three. "My m-m-memory is foggy since I am sick b-b-but I hope it could be helpful." Eri told the three.

"Tell us. It could be really helpful." Norio told Eri.

Eri nodded. "All I could remember is that I woke up because of something loud. After a few minutes, I saw someone slam Rei into the door. I-I-I thought it was just my imagination. I-I-I did not know it was real." Eri was starting to tear up.

Umeko quickly went to her side to comfort her. "Shhh…It's okay. You were sick. You could not trust yourself because of how sick you feel. At least you are safe." After that, Eri wiped off her tears. Eri continued. "Then I saw the person carry Rei. They came back and dragged Norio. I could not sleep after seeing Rei. I thought I was in a horror movie. I was too scared. I thought it was fake since the person looked like a black ghost from head to toe."

* * *

**Fact #15: Eri's Testimony**

**Eri was woken up by a loud noise. After a few minutes, she saw a "black ghost" slam Rei's head into their door. She could not sleep thinking she was in a horror movie. Staying up, she saw the "black ghost" carry Rei and come back to drag Norio.**

* * *

"That was really helpful of you to tell us what you saw." Umeko told Eri. After that, the three left the two to rest since they were still sick. Thinking that Eri saw something, the three could not help but wonder if anyone from the other two rooms saw something and disregarded it as hallucinations.

"Let's do the next room." Norio suggested. The occupants of the next room were Asuka and Reyes. _I hope these two will be calm about the news. _The three entered and saw Asuka who was sleep-talking.

"No…Don't…What?" Asuka mumbled while was all over her bed while Reyes was peacefully sleeping. Umeko woke up the two. After the two have woken up, Nao delivered the bad news. "No! No! No! No! No! Who fucking killed her?" Asuka yelled.

"We don't know. We are still investigating." Nao answered.

After hearing the news, Reyes could not stop crying. "No! Why! How could I let this happen! I should not have fallen sick! I could have done something to save her! This is all my fault!" Reyes repeatedly blamed herself.

She tried to get up and stand on her own two feet with the help of her epee but she was too weak and fell on the floor. Nao and Umeko quickly went to her. "Hey, get back to your bed. You still need time to rest since you are still sick." Umeko told Reyes.

"No! I have to help the group." Reyes insisted. Norio knelt down and told her, "You are too sick to be of help. You will only get in our way." This made Reyes get back to her bed. "I hate being useless!"

"Staying out of other people's way is not being useless." Norio replied.

"Solve this for us and for Rei." Reyes told the three.

"Of course!" Nao answered.

"I am not doing this for anyone other than myself. And, I don't need you to tell me to solve this because I know I will" Norio added.

"Let's go" Umeko said. The three left the room and went to the next room where Jitsunori and Mako are staying. The three also told the two the news. Mako was infuriated hearing the news. "Why did someone kill again?" Mako asked.

"Why did I get sick? If I am okay, I could have done something." Jitsunori told the group.

"We think you were poisoned by the killer. This was definitely part of the killer's plan." Norio answered. After that, the three asked the two if they saw something last night. Unfortunately, both of them were too deep in their sleep to wake up from anything that happened last night.

"I wish I could say something more helpful than good luck." Jitsunori said.

Umeko smiled. "Thank you! We promise you we will solve this."

The three then left the two to continue their search. The three then went to the theater. "I think we should check the theater. From what I recall, there were gas masks in there." Umeko told the group. As soon as they arrived, they quickly went to the backstage and Umeko immediately noticed something wrong.

"Why is that cloak like that?" Umeko asked. She pointed out a black cloak on a mannequin. Nao and Norio were lost with her question.

"What is wrong with it?" Norio asked.

"It's displayed inside out. It should be worn like this." Umeko grabbed the cloak and put it on herself.

"This is what the outside should look like. Only a few will notice that it was displayed wrong since it is not that obvious except to trained eyes like mine since I have worn several cloaks for performances. Nao looked at Umeko and noticed the cloak fit her well. Its length was just right for her height.

* * *

**Fact #16: Black Cloak**

**A black cloak was put on a mannequin inside out. Its length was just right for Umeko's height.**

* * *

After that, they tried to look at the pile of gas masks but they could not really get anything out of it since the pile was messy. "The killer could have easily just tossed the mask on top of this pile." Nao told the group.

Seeing that there was nothing left to see in the theater, the group went out of there. Nao then had an idea of where to go next. "Let's check out the kitchen. We might get something from there." Nao told the other two. The two agreed and went there. On their way, they passed by Jirou and Hana. Jirou was writing in a notebook with a pencil while Hana is waiting beside him.

"Hi! How's your investigation?" Nao asked.

"There is nothing really much we could find." Hana answered.

"Really?" Norio asked.

"Yes, really! I believe we have been looking at the wrong places." Jirou answered with a pointed tone.

"You better hurry up before Monokuma ends the investigation period." Norio advised the two.

"I know! I am not dumb! Let's keep moving Hana! We are wasting our time dilly-dallying with these three." Jirou then went on while Hana reluctantly followed him.

"Poor Hana being paired with Jirou." Norio commented.

"Why do you say that?" Nao asked.

"No reason in particular really. What I said is literally what I meant." Norio answered.

Seeing that there was no point in continuing the conversation, the three went back to their investigation. As soon as they arrived, they quickly started searching for anything in the kitchen. The three left no corner unsearched.

Suddenly, Umeko pointed at something. "Guys, look at this!" Umeko was looking inside a trash can. The two men went to her to look and smelled something sweet. "This trash can smells like apples and strawberries." Nao pointed out.

"And look, isn't that the pack of Poison R?" Umeko pointed inside the trash can.

"That is the pack. Why is it covered in red powder?" Nao was bewildered by this discovery.

"I don't know. It must mean something, right?" Umeko said.

* * *

**Fact #17: Trash Can**

**Inside the trash can was an empty pack of Poison R. It was covered in red powder. The whole trash can smelt like apples and strawberries.**

* * *

After that, the three left the kitchen since there was nothing left to see. After that, Monokumka quickly sounded an announcement. "Investigation period is over! The seven who were not stupidly poisoned, please report to the gymnasium immediately." The three followed Monokuma's instruction. _What is going to happen next? I hope with only us seven, we will be enough to solve this case._

The three finally arrived inside the gymnasium where the other four were waiting. Everyone was looking at the clues they were gathered. Some were satisfied with what they have while others weren't. Nao could care less who got more clues. All he could think of is every clue counts.

_I hope we will be okay. We can do this. I know we can. We did this once, we will be able to do it again._

Suddenly, Monokuma appeared smiling with all of his razor-sharp teeth out. "Are you guys excited for your second trial? I hope you are because I prepared something special just for this trial! Hahahahahaha!" Monokuma laughed maniacally. However, this did not unnerve Nao's determination to win this trial.

* * *

**Hi guys! That is it! I hope you guys enjoyed it! **

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, do not be shy and join my discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Now that we know the clues, do you have any hunch of who could have done it? I promise everyone that all you need to read is this update and the previous update to solve this.**

**Who do you think is the killer? I have a poll on my profile. **

**Anyway, until next time!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	21. Oh Holy Night 6

**Hi guys! It has been more than two weeks since I have been able to update. It is because the area I am living in was recently hit by a strong typhoon. It was typhoon Kammuri if you want to search for it. We did not have any electricity for the past few days. However, as soon as my area was energized, I quickly continued writing because I am excited about this update. **

**I hope you guys will enjoy it!**

* * *

Nao, along with the six others who were poisoned, was standing in the middle of the gymnasium waiting for Monokuma's instruction. _What is going to happen this time? Unlike before, not everyone can join the trial. But, according to rule #9, everyone's attendance is a must. What is he up to?_

The seven were silently anticipating Monokuma's next moves. Everyone could feel the tension in the air. No one dared to say anything except for Monokuma. "I hope you guys are ready for your next trial!" Monokuma told the group. Suddenly, the area where he was standing started to rise. It was the elevator that will take them to the courtroom.

Unlike last time, the group did not feel the ground shaking. The elevator rose from the ground smoothly as if nothing was happening. It was not dusty as well. In fact, the elevator looked completely new. It was free of dust and rust. _He really did clean it. _

After the elevator completely rose from the ground, Monokuma told the group to quickly get inside. "Quickly! We do not have time to just stand and look pretty! We have an execution to do people!" Monokuma shouted as everyone slowly entered the elevator.

Nao was the last person to enter the elevator. Before he did, he asked Monokuma about rule #9. "Monokuma, what will happen to those who were left in the quarantine room? According to rule #9, everyone must attend the trial. Will they be punished?" Nao asked.

Monokuma chuckled. "Who said they will be breaking rule #9? Just get inside twerp! You are delaying everything!" Monokuma shouted. After that, Nao entered the elevator. While they were going down, Nao asked Umeko about his question.

"Was I wrong to ask Monokuma about the others?" Nao asked Umeko.

Umeko quickly replied, "Of course not! It was a legitimate question. I am actually curious about what he is up to."

Nao quickly changed the subject. He started talking about the murder. "With what we have right now, I think we will be able to solve the murder." Nao told Umeko.

Umeko smiled at him. "Of course, we will be able to solve this. We have you and Norio on our side. You two were amazing during the last trial." Umeko told him.

"It was not just us. You did help quite a lot in the last trial but I guess no one really noticed it." Nao told Umeko.

"Well, let's just do whatever we did in the last trial." Umeko said.

_I want to solve this for Rei! I have to! _Nao thought as he looked around to see the other people's expression. _It looks like everyone is determined to solve this. Even Hana is serious. I know we can do this. We have to._

After a few seconds, they reached the floor to the courtroom. Before entering the courtroom, Nao looked at the three doors that do not lead to the courtroom. _We know that the one with the light bulb is used for Monokuma's twisted execution. I wonder what is on the other side of the two other doors._

After looking at the doors, just like everyone, he reluctantly went inside the courtroom. Immediately, everyone noticed the new stands with the black-and-white pictures of Kayle and Rei. On top of their picture was an "X" mark.

Jirou, who was beside Kayle's stand, looked at it and rolled his eyes. "Ugh! I hope this does not distract me from the trial." Rei's stand was in the middle of Mako and Samuru's podiums. Samuru looked at it and shouted, "By the end of this trial, I am sure Rei's killer will be exposed!"

Seeing the stands and hearing Samuru only motivated the students more to solve the case.

However, this was not the only thing new inside the courtroom. In front of the podiums of the students who were sick are huge screens. "What are those doing here?" Manon asked. Monokuma, who was sitting on his throne laughed.

"Well, since they cannot join us because they are too sick, I decided to create a way for them to join. I cannot have my students missing all of the fun just because they are 'sick'!" Monokuma answered.

"How are these screens going to work?" Jirou asked.

"We will be doing something similar to a skype. They will hear and see everything that is happening in this room while they are staying in their room. Don't worry. If you have any questions for them, they will be able to answer you, if they are not too sick to speak. Hahahahaha!" Monokuma answered.

After that, everyone went to their podiums and prepared to solve the case. Nao looked at his clues one last time before they officially start the trial.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #2**

**The victim is Rei Kurosawa. The estimated time of her death was 12:53 am. The victim died of asphyxiation. She was found dead inside the vault.**

**Fact #2: Bloody Temple**

**Rei has a bloody wound on her left temple. It is covered in glass shards.**

**Fact #3: Pen**

**Rei was found dead holding a pen in her left hand.**

**Fact #4: Ringing Sound**

**Nao, Umeko, and Norio heard a ringing sound around midnight. Nao and Umeko thought it came from the museum.**

**Fact #5: Norio's Testimony**

**A person in a black cloak and a gas mask sprayed him something in the face to make him fall asleep when Nao and Umeko were gone. **

**Fact #6: Nao and Umeko's Testimony**

**The two checked out the ringing sound from the museum. While the two were investigating the room, the two were trapped inside. After a few minutes, a person in a black cloak and a gas mask sprayed Nao after Umeko was sprayed and fell asleep.**

**Fact #7: Statue**

**A statue was holding its spear upside down.**

**Fact #8: Chipped Spear**

**The misplaced spear is chipped.**

**Fact #9: "Watered" Plant**

**A plant beside one of the statues was newly watered.**

**Fact #10: Empty Spray Bottle**

**An empty spray bottle was found beside the wet plant.**

**Fact #11: Silk**

**Two different silks from the vault were used to tie up Nao and Umeko last night after falling asleep.**

**Fact #12: Broken Vase**

**Shards of a broken vase are scattered on the floor.**

**Fact #13: Alarm Clock**

**An alarm clock was found inside the museum covered in shards of the broken vase. It has the option to go off after more than 24 hours it was set up. It also has the option to "jump up and down".**

**Fact #14: Broken Mirror**

**The mirror on the door of the quarantine room Eri and Takashiro are staying in is broken and covered in blood. Shards of it are found below the door.**

**Fact #15: Eri's Testimony**

**Eri was woken up by a loud noise. After a few minutes, she saw a "black ghost" slam Rei's head into their door. She could not sleep thinking she was in a horror movie. Staying up, she saw the "black ghost" carry Rei and come back to drag Norio.**

**Fact #16: Black Cloak**

**A black cloak was put on a mannequin inside out. Its length was just right for Umeko's height.**

**Fact #17: Trash Can**

**Inside the trash can was an empty pack of Poison R. It was covered in red powder. The whole trash smelled like apples and strawberries.**

* * *

After everyone has browsed their files, Monokuma shouted, "Alright twerps! I hope you guys are ready for this trial! Let the trial begin! I am so excited about this case! Hahahaha!" After that, the screens suddenly opened revealing the current state of the six who were poisoned.

Jitsunori was sitting on his bed but was obviously having a hard time staying awake while his roommate, Mako, was sound asleep. Just like Mako, Asuka is asleep as well. However, she is curled up in a ball uncomfortably sleeping. On the other hand, her roommate, Reyes, was sitting on her bed forcing herself to wake up. Takashiro was also asleep. However, his roommate, Eri, was sitting while hugging Honey as she continuously pinched herself to stay awake.

"Guys! Are you alright?" Umeko quickly asked.

Reyes was the first one to answer back. "I am fine! I need to be able to help with this trial. That is the least I can do." Jitsunori quickly added, "Don't worry about us, we will be fine!" Nao's attention was shifted to Eri who was obviously having a hard time staying awake.

"Eri, are you sure you can do this?" Nao asked.

"I kn-n-now I will be helpful…I-I-I just need to stay awake." Eri said who was audibly uncomfortable with her state. _We should get this over with._

Suddenly, their conversation by Monokuma. Monokuma shouted, "I hate to interrupt this sweet moment but we are in a trial! Save those conversations after the trial, if you survive this trial. Time is ticking! Upupupupu!"

Because of that, everyone's focus was shifted to the trial. Now, everyone is determined to get to the bottom of this case. Umeko quickly asked a question. "Where should we start?"

Out of nowhere, Samuru chuckled. This grabbed everyone's attention. He looked at everyone with confidence. "There is no need for that. I already know who killed Rei." This declaration surprised everyone. _Let's see if he really does know who killed Rei._

Seeing that he got everyone's attention, he spoke again. "It was Norio who killed our dear friend Rei!" Samuru pointed at Norio with his battle-ax. Even though this accusation is alarming, it seemed that Norio was unbothered by it. He let out a loud sigh before he replied back.

"Can I hear your reasoning for accusing me?" Norio quickly asked.

Samuru immediately replied. "When Nao and Umeko left you and Rei alone, you took that opportunity to kill her! You had plenty of time to strangle her! Just admit it! You do not even have anyone to prove your innocence. You are cornered!"

Hearing his reasoning, Norio snickered. "What is so funny with what I said?" Samuru asked.

"It seems to me you are lacking a few files. Nao, Umeko, can you two please tell him how I cannot be the one who has killed Rei." Norio said. Nao and Umeko quickly understood what he meant by this. Umeko turned to Nao for him to say it.

"It is impossible for Norio to kill Rei since he was also attacked by the killer. Eri can verify that." Nao told the group. This statement quickly put Eri into the spotlight. "That is right…I saw someone last night dragging…Norio while he was…unconscious. I-i-if he was the killer, why would he be dragged?" Eri told the group.

Norio quickly clapped. "That's right! I did not do it so you better project your hostility to someone else." Samuru immediately apologized to Norio. Norio did not really listen to him and moved on with the trial.

_I wonder how many files did they get. _Because of his curiosity, Nao decided to ask the group. "How man files did each team get?" Manon answered first. "Samuru and I got eleven files." After this, Nao looked at Hana and Jirou to know how much they got. Hana decided to answer for both of them. "We only got ten…" Hana trailed off.

"I guess we will be the ones leading the trial again." Norio declared as he smiled with amusement. "It can't be helped since we have the most number of files." Umeko added. After hearing this, Jitsunori asked the three, "How many files did you get?"

Norio immediately answered, "We got seventeen."

"Anyway, we should get back to the trial." Nao intervened before the conversation derails from the trial.

After that, Samuru turned to Eri who was listening quietly to the trial. "Eri, will you please tell us what you saw last night so that everyone will know." Samuru asked. Eri quickly agreed to share what she knows.

"I-I-I woke up because of loud noise. After that, I saw a black ghost smash Rei's head into our door. Then, I saw them carrying Rei somewhere. After a few minutes, they dragged…Norio. That is all I know."

Immediately, Manon reacted. "A black ghost? Are you sure you were not hallucinating." Eri could not say anything. Immediately, Umeko defended Eri's claim. "What she saw was real. She could have just seen it and interpreted it as a black ghost."

Manon decided not to back down. "What is the proof that tells us that it is possible what she saw was real?" Umeko turned to Nao for help. "Actually, there is something we found that could prove Eri's claim."

"What is it?" Manon asked.

"We found a misplaced black cloak in the theater. It was put on inside out." Nao explained.

Umeko decided to add something. "The killer could not have noticed it when they put it back on the mannequin since the inside looks similar to the outside."

"I see. Let's get this straight. The killer attacked the four of you last night wearing ablack cloak and a gas mask according to your three testimonies." Manon told the group.

"Yes." Norio simply answered.

Jirou suddenly chimed in. "Why was the killer wearing a gas mask? They could have just picked something simpler." _He is right. There were plenty of masks in the theater, but why did they pick that certain mask._

Jirou's question stumped everyone. Suddenly, Nao had an idea. "It must have been for his protection as well." Nao told the group. This confused everyone. "Why did the killer need to protect himself?"

"Guys, remember what went missing from the clinic." Nao told the group.

"A pack of poison R and a bottle of chloroform." Hana told the group.

"The killer must have worn the mask to be extra careful when they use the chloroform. They did not want to fall asleep while they are in the middle of their plan." Nao explained to the group. Everyone agreed to his explanation.

"So you three were chloroformed. Is that assumption right?" Hana asked.

"It is the most probable thing that happened to us." Umeko answered.

"What happened to the chloroform the killer used? It could not have just magically disappeared." Jirou asked the group.

Norio quickly answered. "The killer definitely disposed of it. However, the killer was certainly messy when it came to disposing of it." Nao immediately understood what he means. "The killer just dumped it all on one of the potted plants in front of the museum."

"What? Why?" Samuru asked.

"We don't know. We just saw it being weirdly wet and beside it was an empty spray bottle. The only logical thing to assume is that the liquid was chloroform and the spray bottle was what the killer used." Norio answered.

"But why would they do that?" Jirou asked.

"We don't know." Nao said. After that, no one present in the room could think of anything to talk about. _Obviously, we are stumped. What else do we have to talk about? _Nao looked around the room in search of something that could remind him of something they could talk about. Suddenly, he had an idea of what to talk about.

"Let's talk about how they were poisoned." Nao told the group. Nao pointed at the ones who were shown on the screen. "What happened to them is definitely part of the killer's plan. I think everyone agrees with that."

"I think it has something to do with what we ate." Reyes told the group.

"That could be the reason since all of you fainted right after eating breakfast." Umeko told the group.

"What did we eat that made us like this?" Jitsunori asked.

"All I ate were chicken and waffles. Everyone had the same meal. Why are we the only ones who were poisoned?" Reyes asked.

"Who prepared the food?" Samuru asked.

"From what I remember, it was Nao who decided to do chicken and waffles. Everyone else just started to help with other things since he was almost done when everyone who was needed in the kitchen came." Jirou told the group. This quickly put suspicion on Nao.

"I did not put poison in the chicken." Nao told the group.

"How can we be sure about that?" Jirou asked.

"Even if I cooked all of the chicken, I have no way of differentiating the poisoned chicken from the normal one. That would be clumsy of me to do as a killer. Plus, I think we have already established that I am innocent in this case." Nao answered.

"I do not think I have heard a reason to label you as innocent." Jirou continued to attack Nao.

Nao took a deep breath. _It looks like Jirou really wants to believe it's me who did it. I guess I have no choice but to make it clear. I never thought Jirou would be this stubborn for something trivial. _"It cannot be me since I was attacked by the killer as well. Umeko can testify to that." This statement shifted everyone's attention on Umeko.

Umeko quickly responded, "That's true! It can't be him. He was locked up by the killer inside the museum with me. He can't be stuck inside of the same room I'm stuck in and kill Rei." Hearing this, Jirou tried one last time to prove his point.

"What if you two are working together?" Jirou said.

Nao was in disbelief when Jirou accused them of being an accomplice. "I know you are not dumb. Read the rules. Accomplices can't get away with murder. What good would that do to the both of us?" Nao stated silencing Jirou.

"With that, I think it is clear that Nao, Umeko, and I are innocent. This narrows down our list of suspects." Norio told the group.

"It's one of you guys!" Umeko shouted. She was talking about Hana, Jirou, Manon, and Samuru. "I think the suspicion that falls on us is reasonable but I do not really have any proof that can clearly prove my innocence." Samuru agreed with Umeko.

"Well, it was definitely not me!" Hana shouted. She continued, "I can't kill anyone! Especially with what happened last week, I hope that proves I am clean!"

Nao looked at Hana with pity. Before Nao could say anything, he was interrupted by Norio's cold-hearted message for Hana. "Frankly, I don't give a damn about what happened with you and your childish friend. Sentiments are off-limits in a trial. No theory should be left unchecked."

_I want to say I believe Hana is innocent in this trial but Norio is right. Anyone can be guilty of something heinous like murder. _After that, Nao immediately told the group they should go back to the trial.

"I think we should go back to what got everyone poisoned." Umeko said.

"If it was not the chicken nor the waffle that poisoned the others, what would be the other option?" Manon asked. _I have an idea but that would make this murder more confusing._

Nao hesitantly brought up his idea. "We know it wasn't what we ate that that got them poisoned. What if it was something they drank?" This immediately cleared up their question.

"That could be the answer. What did you guys drink for breakfast?" Samuru quickly asked.

Manon immediately answered, "All I drank was water. I wasn't in the mood for some juice." Quickly, Umeko chimed in, "Same here. I was not able to drink the juice before it ran out." Jirou, Nao, and Samuru also told the group they did not drink the juice.

"Hana and I were not able to drink the juice because we did not join the group for breakfast." Norio told the group. This quickly confirmed Nao's idea was correct. "I think it is clear that it was the juice that was poisoned."

Immediately, Manon countered. "I would not say that. We do not really have any evidence to say the juice was tampered by someone. Unless a piece of evidence is presented, I would not clearly say it was the juice's fault."

Umeko quickly came up with something to rebut her. "Actually, we do have something." Umeko looked at Nao and pointed at the fact she wanted to use. Nao nodded in agreement. "We found inside one of the trash cans in the kitchen has an empty pack of poison R. Other than that, we also found red powder."

"The powder could easily be the poison." Manon said.

"I don't think so. The powder was red but it smelled like apples and strawberries, just like the juice powders." Umeko cleared it up.

Samuru decided to say something. "Are you saying the killer switched out the juice powders with the poison?"

"I would not say switch out. The killer dumped some of the powder and added the poison so that it would look, smell, and taste like juice when mixed with water." Nao cleared up any confusion with it.

"I see…That clears up everything about the poisoning. I think we should move on with the other parts of this murder." Jirou suggested. _It did not clear up everything but I suppose it will be enough for now._

"Let's talk about the noise we heard last night." Norio suggested.

"It definitely came from the museum. I am sure of that!" Umeko told the group.

"I think it is obvious what caused the noise inside the museum. It was the only thing that could cause such a noise." Nao told the group. Everyone seemed to get what they were saying. "It was the alarm clock, wasn't it." Hana said.

"It was definitely set up by the killer. That place is no room for an alarm clock." Manon said.

"I have a question. Do you guys know how the killer set it up?" Hana asked. Immediately, Nao had an answer for it. "I think it was set up right after we watched our videos. It is the only logical explanation for it and it fits with the description of our suspect; in a hurry."

"Can you please explain it further? I can't seem to follow you." Hana asked.

"It could not have been yesterday since the killer is one of you. You guys watched each other for quite a long time. None of you could have excused yourself from guarding for a long time and not get suspected by anyone. Plus, this is possible with the alarm clock's feature. The killer could set up an alarm that will ring after it was set up even if the gap between its setting up and ringing is more than 24 hours." Nao explained.

Immediately, Jirou asked, "Why would the killer do that?"

"To serve as a distraction." Norio answered.

Jirou stood in silence waiting for an explanation. "The killer's target was Rei. They knew that handling all four of us was too much so they decided to create a way to divide us into a conquerable size. The killer knocked me out. After that, they took care of Nao and Umeko." Norio elaborated.

"Can we talk about the broken vase? What was that all about?" Manon asked out of nowhere.

"The answer is simple. It was the alarm clock's fault. It had a jump option. I am guessing the killer put the alarm clock inside the vase to hide it in plain sight. When its alarm went off, it started jumping knocking the vase off the floor. This is evident in the location of the shards. It is both above and below the clock." Norio answered.

"That reasoning seems enough." Jitsunori said.

With that, the group was almost done with the museum before Umeko brought up something. "Can we talk about how we were locked up inside. I could not understand how we were locked up." Hearing this, Nao looked at the facts and one of them caught his attention. He tried to connect it with their problem.

_I think the chipped spear has something to do with this. The killer must have done something with the spear to chip it like that. Wait! What if the chip was not made by the killer? What if it was our fault!_

"The killer used the chipped, misplaced spear to lock us up!" Nao shouted. Everyone was confused. However, Nao is fully convinced his idea is right. "The killer must have slipped the spear right inside the handlebars of the two doors from the outside."

"That seems right. That explains how you were locked up but it does not explain how it was chipped." Norio told the group.

"No! You are wrong with that!" Nao told him.

"How?" Norio quickly asked.

"Well, it must have chipped after it was being forced to bend multiple times due to the two of us slamming the door to open. In a way, the chip was not caused by the killer. It was caused by us." Nao explained.

After that, the group tried to summarize what they have come up so far. "Let's make things clear. The killer set up the alarm clock and the poison after watching the motive, right?" Hana asked. Norio quickly followed with "Yes. After that, the killer waited for the right time to attack. They attacked me, Nao, and Umeko to make their job easier." Umeko added, "The killer locked us up in the museum using the spear. Afterward, the killer chloroformed us and proceeded to kill Rei."

Suddenly, Nao thought he heard something wrong. _Did the killer really kill Rei after they knocked us out? _He decided to bring it up. "Umeko, I think there is something wrong with what you said." This declaration caught everyone's attention.

"What is wrong with what she said? It sounds right to me." Jirou asked.

Nao slowly told the group, "How can we be so sure that the killer killed Rei after we were locked up?" Suddenly, Norio snickered after Nao mentioned it. "Actually, that is something I wanted to bring up as well. It easy to say that the killer murdered Rei after everyone in their way is taken care of. However, I think there is a piece of evidence that could prove that the killer did it after they were done with Rei." Norio said.

Norio stopped and looked at Nao. "Do you know what I am talking about?" Norio asked. _Why is he challenging to figure things out if he already knows the answer? _"Is this really the time for this? Can't you just tell the group what you know? I bet you already know who the killer is."

"I already have an idea who the killer is but I want all of you to figure things out so that when it comes to accusing, it will be easy for everyone to accept it." Norio answered.

With this, Nao started at the facts he has. _The answer should be one of these. Rei was left inside the vault. Other than her, different garments were inside the vault. Nothing should be missing from the vault. Wait a second! There was something missing from the vault!_

With this realization, Nao quickly answered, "You must be talking about the silks!"

Hana looked at Nao with confusion. "What does this have to do with the silk?" Everyone was confused as well just like Hana. However, it was clear to Nao. "The killer would not grab the silks if they weren't confident that Rei will not fight back. The killer might be in rush but I think we should not forget our killer is ruthless and determined to kill Rei. They would not let their guard down just like that. We can see how many precautions the killer made to ensure they will be able to kill Rei smoothly." Nao explained.

Suddenly, Norio interrupted. "If you have come to that conclusion, can you tell us what was the killer's purpose in chloroforming you and tying you up?"

Nao immediately answered, "The killer did not do it to prevent us from stopping the murder. They were already done with it. It must have been because they did not want anyone to catch them. Am I wrong with what I have come up with?" Nao turned to Norio.

Norio slowly clapped. "Bravo! That is what I think the killer did as well. Why would they lock you up first then chloroformed you? I think the answer is the chipped spear. They must have seen it and thought that locking you up would not be enough. They panicked and took care of Rei first and then grabbed the silks and went on with them chloroforming you."

Out of nowhere, Umeko decided to add something. "Guys, I think what we have is mostly right but I think there is something we are forgetting about." Norio was surprised by this. "What is it?" Umeko immediately answered, "Her time of death, it was not before we were chloroformed. It was after we were attacked."

This caught Norio off guard. _She is saying the truth. Maybe we are rushing things too much. I believe I got it mostly right. What is it that is making this wrong? If she was not dead yet, why was the killer confident to leave her and grab the silks dropping their guard down?_

Suddenly, Manon brought up something. "Maybe we should talk about Rei first. That might help us clear things. We have been talking about Rei's murder so much but we have not really talked about her." Everyone agreed.

Nao read all of his clues regarding Rei in silence. _She died due to asphyxiation but she also has a wound on her left temple. Thinking about Eri's testimony, I think I have an idea why the killer is confident to drop their guard down and leave her alone inside the vault._

Breaking the silence, Samuru asked Nao, "You look like you have come up with something. Mind sharing it with the group?"

"The killer must have thought Rei is too weak to fight back anymore. That must be why they were confident to drop their guard down." Nao answered. Immediately, Reyes, through the screen, quickly asked, "How was the killer sure that Rei was too weak to fight back?"

"Remember what Eri said, the killer smashed her head to her room's door. That must have been enough to knock her unconscious. Plus, Rei is not really one of the strong ones. It is obvious in her physicality." Nao answered.

"Okay, the killer knocked Rei unconscious and brought her to the vault. He left her in the hallway to lock you two up inside the museum, saw the spear chip as you slam on the door, and went back to Rei to bring her to the vault and grabbed the silks. They chloroformed you two and tied you up and left the crime scene? Where is the part the killer kills Rei?" Hana frantically asked who seems to be getting annoyed because of the confusion.

_I can't blame her. It is confusing. We are missing one important detail in this murder and nobody has brought it up. I am guessing no one has a fact about it. _Nao looked at everyone and started talking.

"We seem to be forgetting something." Nao told the group.

Umeko looked at him and asked, "What is it?" Nao looked at Norio who was smirking. Suddenly, Norio spoke up. "Finally, someone noticed it as well." Samuru was not amused with everyone not saying what they really mean. "Can you two just tell us what it is?"

"Go ahead Nao!" Norio pushed Nao to say it. Immediately, Nao told the group, "We have been talking about how the killer set up this murder and how they left but we have been skipping an important detail; how they literally killed Rei. We have not talked about what killed Rei. We know she died of asphyxiation but that is about it when it comes to our knowledge of how she died."

"The killer must have used poison as well or strangled her with bare hands." Manon suggested.

"Nothing tells us that was the case. She looked like she died slowly and painfully with her hand around her neck. If she died of strangulation, that should be what is written in her autopsy. Strangulation and asphyxiation are two different things. No poison that can cause asphyxiation is missing from the clinic." Norio told the group.

"What caused her asphyxiation?" Umeko asked.

Nao quickly smiled and said, "The answer was hiding in our plain sight." Everyone, except Norio who knew where Nao was leading with this, was confused and waiting for Nao to tell them the answer.

"What is it? Tell us already!" Hana irritatedly asked.

"Look at the bigger picture…" Nao told the group. Everyone thought of an answer. Monokuma, who was sitting on his throne was looking at the trial with complete amusement.

"I always knew Norio would be one of the people to lead the trial but I never thought you would be one as well, Nao! This is completely surprising and to do it in two consecutive trials! Hahahahahaha! Sadly, your time is up!" Monokuma shouted.

This statement scared the group leaving them in a frenzy to finish the trial. "Norio, who did it!" Hana shouted. Norio was about to reveal his guess when he was silenced by Monokuma. "Shut up! Don't say your guess Norio! It will ruin the fun!"

This confused everyone. Monokuma continued, "Your allotted time is up but because I am amused by your dear friend Nao, I will extend the trial. I want to see how he will end this trial. Will it be just like last time? Will you crumble from knowing who did the deed? This is exciting! Lead the trial Mr. N.E.E.T.!"

With this, Nao looked at Monokuma and the others thinking that he has Monokuma's attention. _Monokuma is distracting me. I can't let him ruin my thoughts! I have to end this quick. I have to find out who the killer is before the time runs out for real this time. I have to solve for it Rei! I have to solve it for everyone!_

* * *

**That is it for this update! Are you still sticking with your initial guess for the killer? I hope this update made things clearer! **

**Who do you think killed Rei? You can tell me by answering the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile. If you are having a hard time with it, please do not hesitate to ask me for help.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this reading as much as I enjoyed writing this!**

**Until next time! Good luck to all of us!**


	22. Oh Holy Night 7

**This is it! The identity of the killer will be revealed! I hope you are excited for this! **

* * *

Nao looked at everyone. After that, he cleared his throat and decided to reveal what he was talking about. "When we say murder weapon, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?" Nao asked everyone.

This confused them. "How is this relevant to the trial? Can we just skip this?" Manon was irritated. However, she was stopped by Norio. "This is important. Trust Nao." He looked at Nao and let him continue with his point.

"Everyone, answer my question." Nao told the group. One by one, they decided to answer. Reyes was the first person to answer. "I would say a sword." Samuru was next to answer. "The most common thing used by the murderers I have executed are firearms." Manon quickly answered, "Knives." Umeko answered relating it to the cause of Rei's death. "I would say a rope is usually used for asphyxiation as well as strangulation." Jitsunori answered, "Anything sharp." Jirou continued by saying, "A hammer can be used as a murder weapon." Lastly, Eri answered, "Saws."

After everyone answered, Nao continued to make his point. "We missed out on the murder weapon because it was not a tool. Usually, we relate a murder weapon to tools but for this murder, it was not a tool nor a solution. It was something bigger." Nao looked at Norio.

Norio smiled at him understanding what he will be saying next. Nao continued after reassuring he was right. "We never thought of the murder weapon could be a room." This shocked everyone. "You mean, the killer did not use anything other than the room to kill her?" Manon asked.

"Yes! The killer locked up Rei inside the vault where she can't breathe in oxygen since there weren't any vents. The killer could have just easily locked her up inside to die and leave to take care of other things." Nao continued.

"That explains a lot of things!" Samuru shouted.

"If the killer used the vault to kill her, your previous theory still stands. The killer left her to die and took care of us so that we cannot catch them." Umeko told the group. Nao looked at Norio and immediately asked, "Am I on the same page as you?"

"Yes! It fits the killer's profile perfectly. The killer was in a hurry for some reason. They must have really wanted whatever Monokuma offered them with their video. Because of that, they decided what could have been the best option for someone lazy and in a rush, to ditch their victim in an inescapable doom." Norio explained.

As Norio continued to speak, Nao scanned his facts again. Immediately, it was all clear to him. _This must be the answer! _Manon noticed Nao's unusual silence, who was standing in her right, in the trial. She tapped him on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Nao was quickly sent back to reality. He looked at Manon and slowly uttered, "I think I already know who it is…" Norio grinned. He took a glance at his guess who was hiding he was unnerved by Nao's declaration. He looked back at Nao who was ready to spill his realization.

"Will you please tell us your guess." Norio told Nao. Nao nodded and started off with the explanation of his guess. "The killer could have honestly gotten away free if they were not in so much rush that they forgot to check Rei before leaving her to die."

"What do you mean?" Hana asked.

Nao looked at the person whom he thinks is the killer. "You forgot to check what was inside her hand. She was holding your ballpen. That is why you investigated using a notebook and a pencil. It was too late when realized you lost your pen, wasn't it Jirou Katashi!"

With this accusation, Jirou was infuriated. "How dare you accuse me of murder! I can never stoop that low! I am too smart to commit that mistake!" Jirou was obviously enraged by this. His usual composure was gone. However, Nao was not surprised by this.

Nao continued, "I know you are smart and level-headed normally. However, after watching your motive video, you lost your level-headedness and became clumsy, didn't you!" Nao was trying to corner Jirou who was not backing down from this.

"How can you say that was my ballpen? For all we know, anyone could have gotten that ballpen from the storage room." Jirou replied.

"He does have a point. Rei could have mistakenly thought the killer was Jirou because he was the only person we have ever seen with that ballpen. For all we know, it is a set-up." Hana told the group. Nao could not do anything but agree. However, he is sure it is Jirou to blame for the murder.

"Umeko, please remember who suggested what to drink for breakfast yesterday." Nao asked.

Umeko tried to recall what happened inside the kitchen that morning. "Roxanne was the one who made the juice. But before that, Jirou told Roxanne to make some refreshments." Umeko, upon realizing it was Jirou's suggestion to make the juice, she turned to his direction and stare at him.

"I only said to make refreshments, not juice! It was you who said to make the juice!" Jirou refuted.

"I only suggested that because I knew it was the only option at that time." Umeko fought back against Jirou.

"I think that says I am innocent. I did not know the only option we have is juice! She confessed!" Jirou tried to paint Umeko as the bad guy. However, this did not work and only put more suspicion on him.

"Then, explain why when Roxanne asked you to choose which flavor you wanted, you answered any would be fine to you when in reality, you hate apples. Just admit that you knew any would do what you wanted. That is the reason why you answered Roxanne like that." Nao continued to hammer him down.

However, Jirou would not back down. "No! I did not say that because I knew it would poison people either way. I said that because I saw it as something so trivial that it did not necessarily require my input!"

Nao was not yet over with Jirou. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who suggested to do shiftings and the schedule for it! You were lucky enough that everyone quickly agreed since it all fit perfectly into your plan."

Jirou was visibly angry. "No! That is bullshit! That was a purely fucking coincidence! How the fuck could I have known I would be able to sway you to do my bidding. Please don't tell me you are going to say it was because of what I learned from Kayle! Just shut up Nao! You are derailing the group from the trial! Why are you being like this? I was tolerable to you for the past few days!"

Nao was ready to say a piece of irrefutable evidence he was saving. "Eri saw a person in a black cloak. The way she described the person tells us that the cloak hits the floor perfectly. Umeko tried it on and we know the killer must have the same height as her. Out of us thirteen left, you are the only one with the height capable of fooling Eri that she saw a black ghost. Just admit it! Your height has betrayed you!"

Jirou was silenced in anger. He clutched onto his podium as he stared down at Nao. Nao looked at Norio who gave him a thumbs up. "Splendid job! You can be a good prosecutor that will make my job a challenge."

Nao received the answer he wanted. _I got it right. My answer is the same as Norio's. _Everyone was looking silently at Jirou. No one could say a word. The only thing that broke the silence in the courtroom was Norio's voice. "I think it is time to piece everything together. Nao, I think you should do it this time."

Nao started narrating the murder of Rei Kurosawa.

* * *

**Rei Kurosawa's Murder**

"It all started when Monokuma gave us the (un)Motivational Video. The killer watched their video and was deeply affected by it. Knowing what the video probably contained, it is safe to say that Monokuma offered something to the killer in exchange for Rei's murder.

Right after our meeting, the killer prepared everything. They took an alarm clock and put it inside a vase in the museum and set it to ring when they want it to. Also, they stole a pack of poison R and a bottle of chloroform. The killer disposed of some of the apple and strawberry powder and replaced it with poison R. The powder and the empty pack of poison R can be found inside one of the trash cans of the kitchen.

They must have also prepared their costume for their murder during that time as well. They chose to prepare a black cloak to fit their height perfectly to cover their whole body and a gas mask to protect themselves from the chloroform.

The morning came and the killer pretended they did not know about the missing chemicals from the clinic. They went to the kitchen to help with the preparation for breakfast. During that time, the killer suggested to the other cooks to make some juice. They were asked by Roxanne which flavor of juice they wanted. Foolishly, they answered any would be fine for them even though they hated apple, which was one of the two options.

After a few minutes, the people who drank the poisoned juice felt its effect. This caused everyone who was safe to decide that they should protect the poisoned people thinking one of them was the target of the culprit.

The killer suggested to do shiftings and decided the schedule the groups will follow. Luckily for them, everyone immediately agreed. The time came when it was my group's turn to guard. My team included Rei Kurosawa, the victim.

Around midnight, the alarm clock from the museum rang breaking the vase. This made me and Umeko leave Norio and Rei to check it out. Around this time, the killer was waiting while wearing their costume. The killer chose to chloroform Norio and then smash Rei's head on the door of the Eri and Takashiro's quarantine room.

The killer left the two first to check on us. Seeing that we were distracted, the killer locked us inside the museum by jamming the spear in the middle of the handlebars. Umeko and I slammed the doors. This caused to chip the spear. Seeing this, the killer decided to do something about the two of us so they could escape easily.

The killer went back to Rei and carried her to the vault. During this time, it is safe to assume that it was when Rei got a hold of the killer's pen. Arriving at the vault, the killer laid Rei on the floor. After that, they grabbed a couple of silk fabrics and got out of the vault. The killer hurriedly closed th vault securing Rei's slow and painful demise.

The killer went back to us with the silk fabrics. They chloroformed us and tied us up using the fabrics from the vault. With that, the killer dumped the remaining chloroform on one of the plants in front of the museum and left the empty spray bottle beside it.

The killer then left us and went back to drag Norio somewhere else. After that, the killer returned his costume in the theater. However, they placed the cloak on the mannequin inside out.

After that, the killer went back to their room and waited for morning to come to pretend to be shocked when they see what they have done just to kill Rei.

It was an almost perfect murder if it was not for Eri's testimony and their clumsy mistake for rushing everything. The only person who could have done it is Jirou Katashi, the Ultimate Mathematician."

* * *

Nao pointed his finger at him.

Jirou was still in silence. Suddenly, Monokuma stood on his throne and shouted, "You have reached a wonderful conclusion! I guess it is time to vote." The seven students inside the courtroom quickly finished voting.

_ Jirou is the culprit…_

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

Out of nowhere, Monokuma told the group, "The ones in the quarantine room should vote as well!" Suddenly, it was shown that all of the ones who were poisoned were given a special tablet for them to use to vote. Asuka was visibly confused.

"What happened? Who should I vote?" Asuka asked Reyes who was her roommate. Hearing this, Jirou desperately shouted, "We all voted for Nao! It was Nao!" This immediately triggered Samuru. He tackled him to the ground and covered his mouth to make him shut up. "What are you doing!" Samuru whispered in Jirou's ear.

Eri, Jitsunori, and Reyes told their roommates who were asleep during the trial to vote for Jirou. Asuka, Mako, and Takashiro decided to follow their roommate's advice.

Everyone was finished voting. The result of the voting was shown on the screen on top of Monokuma. It displayed the same huge wheel with everyone's name on it from the last trial. The wheel began to spin. It grew faster and faster until it slowed down and stopped with Jirou's name pointed by the red arrow beside the wheel. Suddenly, confetti appeared on the screen showing the results of the voting.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Jirou Katashi – 12 Votes**

**Nao Hisoka – 1 Vote**

**Answer: Jirou Katashi**

**Correct!**

* * *

No one was surprised with the result especially with how Jirou was behaving during the trial. However, Nao could not help but feel confused as to why he did it. Samuru let go of Jirou. He stood up and looked at everyone in anger.

After gazing at everyone, he went to his podium and punched it. Suddenly, he smiled. "I am so pathetic to be beaten by a bunch non-academics! I guess I totally deserved this if that is the case." Hana who was standing beside him, ran away from her podium to stand near Umeko.

Jirou looked at her with such malice. He showed everyone a smile that sent a shiver down everyone's spine. "Hana…Did you know I picked you to be my partner for the investigation because you would be the easiest to trick. It was really easy! It was like dragging a dog anywhere I wanted to go. I thought it would have been enough to secure my win but I guess I should have chosen another partner. It might have helped me escape. Thanks for nothing brainless piece of shit!"

This has shaken Hana to her core. Her ankles gave up causing her to fall on her knees. Umeko quickly tried to comfort her. "Don't listen to him. He is not worth our time. He is just intimidating you because he feels small right now for being caught."

Jirou overheard this. "Me, feeling small? Hahahahaha! I…I…I…" Suddenly, he collapsed to his knees crying. He started sobbing. This sight confused everyone. After seeing his demonic side, he quickly became emotional.

Jirou tried to continue talking. "I have always felt small! I have always felt like I was not enough, like I am never great! This was my chance to show I am great, that I am worthy of their attention, that I can better than him!"

_What is he talking about? Who is he talking about? _Seeing this, Monokuma decided to suddenly play Jirou's (un)Motivational Video.

The screen showed a family picture. The parents were sitting while their two sons were standing behind them. It showed the family happy. Suddenly, the picture was torn into two pieces leaving one of the sons out of the picture. Suddenly, Monokuma's voiceover played, "Let's be honest, this is what your real family is like. You have your mother and father with their eldest son having all of the attention while you have none. You were always left out like you never existed."

Suddenly, a picture of a man in a soccer player outfit with his face filled with bruise was shown.

"Your brother always got in trouble with his stupid sports while you maintained your good standings in your school. Still, your parents always choose your brother over you. They have always chosen him before you. They have never chosen your award shows or quiz bowls over your brother's games. Why? Because you are not enough.

You have to be more than just the Ultimate Mathematician! You have to be the Ultimate Scholar to get their attention and love. Isn't that what you have always wanted, Jirou?"

Suddenly, the screen showed a picture of Rei.

"Kill Rei Kurosawa and I promise you I will make sure you become the Ultimate Scholar so that you can receive the love and attention you deserve! Kill Rei! Kill Rei! Kill Rei! Kill Rei!" The video ended as the sound of Monokuma creepily chanting "Kill Rei!" faded out.

Manon turned to him. "You killed so that your parents will recognize you?" Hearing this, Jirou could not help but laugh. "Hearing it from other people, it really sounds stupid! I am not stupid! Why am I being so stupid! Why am I like this over some stupid stuff like this! Why can't I stop being so stupid!"

Nobody could say a word to Jirou. _I don't know what to say. I knew he wanted to become an Ultimate Scholar but I never thought it was just because of this. _Nao walked towards Jirou and slapped him. Everyone was shocked by this.

"How dare you kill Rei over something so childish!" Jirou was shocked by Nao's words. Jirou could only stare at Nao as he started berating for his actions. "Rei had been nothing but kind to everyone. Yes, she was weird but how dare you think that it was okay for you to kill for a childish reason."

Umeko went to Nao to calm him down. "Nao let's dial it down a notch." Nao looked at her and said, "No! He has to hear this!" Umeko was silenced to go back to Hana.

"Did your parents ever hit you?" Nao asked.

Jirou could only shake his head.

"Did your parents ever starved you?" Nao continued to ask. Jirou was speechless.

"Did they ever deny you of your basic needs? Did they ever say bad things about you? Did they ever look down on you for getting high grades? Did they ever say you are not enough? Did they ever tell you that your brother is better than you? Did they ever abandon you?" Nao relentlessly asked Jirou. Jirou could only think of one word to answer. "No…"

"It was only you who was thinking you weren't enough. You were the problem, not your brother or your parents! Did it ever occur to you that they have not given much guidance because they have enough trust in you to leave you alone with your decisions? Did it ever occur to you that they might be worried about your brother getting into trouble which causes them to be around him all the time? No! Because you were too busy feeling like a poor orphan when in fact your parents trust you so much that you have so much freedom!" This silenced everyone in the room.

Nao continued, "You are so lucky to have both loving parents. Not everyone still has both of their parents. Not everyone is born into a loving family. Not everyone is trusted by their parents. If your parents found out you killed an innocent little girl, do you think they will be proud of you?" After that, Nao backed off. Jirou stood in silence reflecting on what he did.

"What kind of trash am I?" Jirou asked.

Monokuma suddenly yawned. "Boring! All this family shit is gross! I feel like I want to vomit! Blarggh!" Everyone looked at him. He sat up straight and looked at Jirou. "Hey you, you were asking what kind of trash you are? I have an answer for you! You are trash that is about to be executed! Hahahahahaha!"

Suddenly, everyone was brought back to their memory of Kayle's execution. _Not again! I can't deal with another execution!_

"Do we really have to execute him?" Manon asked.

"Duh! It is part of the game! Why? Do you want to replace him?" Monokuma asked. "I thought so! Hey, self-titled trash! Any last words for them?"

Jirou looked around and smiled. "If I am going to die, I better just everything that I know." This shocked everyone. _What does he know? Is he the other person Rei was talking about? _Jirou continued, "Other than Samuru, someone in our group has killed plenty of times already. If you want to know their identity, check out the last book I ever read from the library."

_What? One of us is a murderer? What is he talking about? _"That will be my last help to you guys. Good luck to everyone. I hope no one is dumb enough to kill just like I did. Monokuma, take me."

Monokuma snickered. "Alright twerp! What an eager beaver! I have a very special punishment for Jirou Katashi, the Ultimate Mathematician! Let's give everything we got! It's punishment time!" Monokuma shouted. After that, a button came out of the ground and was hit by Monokuma's gavel.

Suddenly, a clamp grabs him away to his execution.

The screen suddenly showed:

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Jirou Katashi has been found guilty**

* * *

**Special Televised Math Wiz Challenge**

**Jirou Katashi**

**The Ultimate Mathematician Execution**

**-Used-**

Jirou was placed in the middle of what looks like a stage with cameras recording him. Suddenly, an opened bear trap was attached to his neck. He was confused by this. He tried to get it off of his neck but he could not find a way to detach it.

In front of him was a wooden desk. On the desk was a 100-item math quiz filled with dizzying questions, a dull pencil, a tiny piece of eraser and a broken sharpener. Near the edge of the stage was a Monokuma dressed as a teacher and a chalkboard that was falling apart. On the chalkboard were written, "You have 20 minutes to answer the test. Failure to finish or have a perfect score will result to close the bear trap shut. OBSERVE SILENCE."

After reading the instructions on the board, he quickly starts answering. With desperation written all over his face, he answered all of the questions with laser focus. After a tiring nineteen-minute attempt of answering the questionnaire, he was able to finish what seemed to be an impossible task.

He stands up and tiptoed to pass his paper to Monokuma. Monokuma starts checking the items one by one. Jirou stood in silence panicking whether or not he got every item right. He looked at Monokuma who was finished checking.

Monokuma gave his paper back to him. He looked at his score and could not believe it. He successfully got the perfect score. Tears of joy rolled down his cheeks. The weight of possibly dying was not on his shoulders anymore. He sighed knowing he got the score.

Suddenly, Monokuma grew angry and pointed at the "OBSERVE SILENCE." That was written on the board. Jirou realizes he created noise by sighing. This sent him to despair. He was scared that he was going to die. He started shaking.

Quickly, the cameras focused on Jirou's neck displaying it on the screen. The screen is now only displaying a close up of his neck. Suddenly, the bear trap closes. Blood from his head dripped down to his neck. The televised math wiz challenge was canceled.

* * *

Everyone who was able to watch Jirou's execution was disgusted. Manon was angered by this. "How could you do that! He finished it!" Monokuma laughed it off and said, "Rules are rules! Hahahahahaha!" Even Jitsunori who watched through the screen could not help but feel angry towards Monokuma. "This is too much! That was too much!" Suddenly all of the screens displaying the people in the quarantine rooms shut down.

All six of them stood in silence after watching the execution. Hana trembled in fear since she was the most traumatized out of all of them. "Not again!" Suddenly, she ran out of the room. Umeko, who was genuinely worried about her, quickly followed her. Manon and Samuru, who had the stomach to act normal, left the room together. The only two people left in the room were Nao and Norio.

Before leaving the room, Norio approached Nao. "Good job leading the trial! However, this does not change a thing." Nao was confused by his declaration. "I know you are hiding something and I will get to the bottom of it. I will find out whatever your little secret is." After that, Norio walked away from him. Nao stood there in silence.

After a few more minutes of contemplating on what happened, he tried to recall everything that happened in the trial. He felt sorry for screaming at Jirou. _I should have been more gentle. He did not deserve to receive all of my frustrations in life. However, I am intrigued by his last words. He is basically implying a murderer is among us. I need to know who he is talking about._

Immediately, Nao ran out of the room and went to the library as soon as possible. As soon as he entered, he smelled something was burning. "What is that?" He quickly looked around to find where the smoke is coming from. He had a hard time navigating the humungous room. Eventually, he was able to pinpoint where it was coming from.

He saw a book was on fire. Upon seeing this, he quickly shouted for Monokuma's help. "Monokuma! Help! One of your books is burning!" Nao shouted immediately getting Monokuma's attention.

"What is happening?" Monokuma appeared. Nao immediately pointed out the burning book. As soon as Monokuma saw it, he was pissed. "Who the fuck burns a book!" He quickly disappeared and reappeared again with a fire extinguisher.

Monokuma gave the fire extinguisher to Nao. Nao is lucky enough to know how to us one. He used it and was able to stop the book from burning. "What book is this?" Nao asked Monokuma.

Monokuma looked at the book and answered, "Sparkling Justice 2.0: A Double-Edged Sword". _Sparkling Justice? Wasn't he just an urban legend killer? 2.0? He was real? I never heard of this book… _Monokuma looked at Nao amused with his confusion. "FYI, this is the last book Jirou read from the library.

"Why are you telling me this?" Nao asked.

Monokuma quickly answered, "Isn't it obvious? It will stir some drama perfect for another murder to happen. Hahahahaha!" Suddenly, Monokuma disappeared. After that, Nao left the library and went back to his room. He changed into his sleepwear and lied on his bed. He recalled everything that happened. "Rei and Jirou are really dead. And, it looks like we have another killer in our group other than Samuru."

Nao was stressed out with everything he found out and happened during this day. _I can't deal with another murder. I need to find the other person Rei was talking about. Maybe they know something helpful. Maybe they know who this Sparkling Justice 2.0 is. The killings in this game need to stop!_

Eventually, Nao fell asleep from exhaustion.

* * *

**Oh Holy Night... (Deadly Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 12**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 4**

* * *

**This is the end of chapter 2! I hope you guys loved it! I hope you guys enjoyed Jirou! I will really miss writing him especially since he is my OC.**

**Was your guess right? If not, better luck next time. **

**I am so excited for the next chapter!**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile.**

**That is it for now! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	23. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 1

**OMG! I cannot believe it! Within like 5 or 6 months, I am already at chapter 3! Thanks to those who have been so supportive and helpful! I really appreciate it.**

**Anyway, here is the first part of the third chapter!**

* * *

The whole room was on fire. It was scorching hot. The pieces of furniture were turning into ashes. All of the metals were melting. Nothing was visible. The only thing can be seen was the thick, black smoke enveloping the whole room.

In the middle of the room was a man holding a huge book. The silhouette was familiar. However, due to the smoke, the person cannot be identified. He only stood watching as everything around him disintegrate into nothing but ashes.

Suddenly, all of the flames disappeared. On the floor were ashes scattered. Even so, the man only stood in the middle. Now, it is clear what the person looked like. He was wearing a familiar orange long sleeve shirt and black pants. The face of the person was covered by a mask.

The mask looked like the face of a cartoonish girl. The girl had huge eyes and honey yellow hair. It was smiling sticking her tongue out. She was wearing a tiara adorned with blue jewels.

The man was holding tightly a book. Upon closer inspection, the book was titled "Sparkling Justice 2.0: A Double-Edged Sword". After a few more minutes standing, the man slowly removed his mask revealing his identity.

The man was none other than Jirou Katashi, the Ultimate Mathematician. He creepily smiled and opened the book showing its burnt pages. Suddenly, he started speaking. "Who could it be? Tick tock tick tock…" After that, he laughed maniacally.

Out of nowhere, the flames came back burning everything to the ground including Jirou. Jirou laughed as he slowly burned to death. The room grew quiet when the flames disappeared again leaving everything visible including the burnt corpse of Jirou.

Suddenly, a loud scream echoed through the room.

* * *

Nao immediately woke up from his strange dream. He was awakened by a loud scream coming from the audio system. The scream was long and high-pitched. It was irritating and painful to the ears. _Who is screaming through the audio system! It is too early for this!_

After a few more minutes, the scream stopped. The person coughed a few more times before talking through the audio system again. "Ehem! I hope that woke you up. It is morning! Wake up! If you are still asleep after that loud-ass scream of mine, are you deaf?" It was Monokuma and his morning call.

After that, it became silent again in Nao's room. Nao sat quietly thinking of what happened yesterday. _Rei and Jirou are no longer with us. Jirou killed Rei and I can't believe that he could do such a thing. Before leaving us, he revealed something. One of us is a notorious killer. He revealed to us how we can get the identity of that person. He told us to check the last book he read. However, it was burnt after the trial. Whoever this person is, they really want to stay anonymous._

Nao tried to guess who it could be. _If the book that Monokuma told me was right, the person is referred to as Sparkling Justice. Sparkling Justice is a famous urban legend. They kill for justice and leaves a mask near his victim as his signature. I thought that was not real. If Jirou is saying the truth, Sparkling Justice is not just some urban legend. They are real._

This thought scared Nao. _We already have Samuru to deal with when it comes to his anger issues. I don't want to deal with another self-righteous person with a twisted sense of justice. That is too much to handle. Whoever this person is, they must have been hiding their true selves from us really well. No one has shown any signs of bloodlust for the blackened other than Samuru. I can't guess who it is._

After getting tired of thinking who it could be, Nao took his tablet to see what time it was. As soon as he opened it, he saw a new file that was added to the folder named "Floor Plans". The file was simply named "Third Floor"._ I guess a new floor is open for exploring. Umeko and I should check it out later._

After that, Nao took a shower, changed into new clothes, and went out of his room. As soon as he stepped out of his room, he saw Umeko coming out of her room as well. The two looked at each other amused of the coincidence. Nao smiled and walked towards her while Umeko closed her door and stood to wait for Nao to come to her.

"Good morning!" Umeko greeted him. "Good morning to you too!" Nao greeted back. The two were clearly in a great mood. _This is definitely a great way to start my day._

After that, the two started walking together to the kitchen. Immediately, Umeko decided to open a conversation. "Did you sleep well last night?" Umeko asked. Nao looked at her and said, "Not really. Yesterday was stressful. The events that took place yesterday even haunted my dreams."

Hearing this, Umeko was worried about Nao. "Are you okay? Do you want to skip in helping out in cooking for now? You know that I can cook alone." Nao quickly interrupted Umeko. "There is no need for that. Dreams are just dreams. It can't affect me in real life if I let it." _Even after everything that happened, Umeko still chooses to be herself; a caring person who puts others first before herself._

Visibly, Umeko was curious about Nao's dream. She was observing him intently. Nao can't help but notice this. _I guess she will not be satisfied until I tell her my dream. _"You want to know my dream, don't you?" Nao asked. Umeko nodded.

Nao started talking about his dream. "Jirou was in my dream." Umeko was clearly intrigued by this. "Really? That must have been a shock." Umeko commented.

"Honestly, it wasn't. In the past few days, I have been dreaming about people who are dead; Ayumu, Kayle, and even my mom. The dreams they were in were ten times more shocking and scarier than my last night's dream." Nao told Umeko.

All of a sudden, Umeko hit his left arm. Nao was surprised by this. "What was that for?" Nao was completely confused by Umeko's action.

"Why did you not tell me about your nightmares?" Umeko shouted.

Nao immediately replied, "I did not want to trouble anyone especially you." Umeko quickly turned red after hearing Nao. Nao was too dense to realize what he said. Seeing Nao's completely blank face, Umeko composed herself to reply.

"You should have still told me! I could have helped you! All this time I thought we were like…" Umeko trailed off. She could not continue. Nao was waiting for her to finish her sentence. "We are what?"

Umeko trying to come up with something to say. "Uhmmm…" She was having some difficulty. "We are uhmmm?" Nao imitated her. Umeko rolled her eyes and sighed. "I thought we are best friends…just best friends." Umeko's tone changed. Nao noticed this but does not know why.

Nao was about to reply to her when Umeko suddenly said, "We should get going. People will start waking up soon." After that, the two walked silently together to the kitchen. _Did I say something wrong? Are we having some sort of fight? I don't know what to do! Please, someone, tell what I did wrong!_

The two eventually made it into the kitchen. Umeko quickly took charge of preparing the meal. "I think we should make a mushroom hash! It will taste great. It will be aromatic with all the spices I will use! Plus, it is vegan! Rei and I…" Umeko suddenly realized, "Right, I am the only vegan in the group now."

Nao went to Umeko to comfort her. "Hey, it is alright. Everyone is still grieving. You don't have to act as if nothing happened." Suddenly, Umeko hugged him tightly. "Thank you. I really needed that." They stood like that for a while before Umeko let go and pat her cheeks. "We have a meal to cook! You should make some madeleines! Do you know how to bake those?" Nao simply nodded and the two went to cooking.

When Nao visited the sweets fridge to grab some ingredients, he saw the jar of poisoned juice powders. He immediately grabbed the jars and threw them into the trash can. Umeko saw this. "We should get rid of these. We never know. Someone might use them again." Nao told Umeko who simply agreed with him.

Seeing the dumped juice powders, he was reminded of Jirou. He was again by what his last words to him were. _I was too harsh for him. _Nao tried to cook like nothing was bothering him. However, he could not concentrate. He decided to drop everything he was holding and turn to Umeko.

"Umeko…" Nao caught her attention.

"Yes?" Umeko asked.

"Can I talk to you about something?" Nao asked.

"Sure!" Umeko replied. She put the hash into the kitchen before she was ready to listen. She walked towards Nao and stood beside him.

"What is it?" She asked.

"What I said to Jirou has been bothering me. It is all I could think of when everything is too quiet. I said what I said because of my own frustrations. I was so unfair to him. I just can't believe I was like that. I wish I could take back everything that I said!" Nao talked until he had nothing left to say.

After hearing what he had to say, Umeko replied, "I don't think you should take back everything you said." This shocked Nao. "What do you mean?" Nao was confused.

"You told Jirou everything that he needed to hear. You made him realize he was loved by his parents. You did him a favor. At least before his death, you were able to lift some weight off of his chest." Umeko explained.

"I did?" Nao asked.

"No one would have been able to do that other than you." Umeko reaffirmed him.

"Thanks! I appreciate that!" Nao hugged Umeko. This caught her off-guard. All she could do was hug him back. After that, they went back to cooking their breakfast.

While they were cooking, Umeko brought up Jirou's last words. "What do you think about what Jirou said in the last trial?" Nao turned around to talk to her. "You mean the mystery murderer in our group?"

"Do you really think someone in our group is a secret killer?" Umeko asked.

Nao hesitantly answered, "Being a part of Monokuma's twisted games, I learned one thing. Anything is possible." Umeko could not help but agree to that. "I wish I can disagree but it is true. I never thought anyone of our age can kill but here we are. We even have Samuru as living proof."

"Do you want to check out the book Jirou was talking about later?" Umeko asked. Nao immediately answered, "I already did." Umeko was surprised by this. "When?" Umeko asked. Nao paused for a moment. _ I hope whatever I am going to say will not destroy her trust in others._

"I checked out the book last night and I found it burning inside the library." Nao told her. Umeko was surprised but this. "Burning?" Umeko exclaimed.

"The person who Jirou was talking about must have gone to the library as soon as the trial was over. They don't want their identity to be revealed." Nao told her.

"What was the book?" Umeko asked.

"The name is Sparkling Justice 2.0: A Double-Edged Sword." Nao told her. This surprised her even more. "Sparkling Justice?" She could not believe what she heard. Umeko continued, "Isn't Sparkling Justice a serial killer from way back? I know they kill for justice but that is all that I know."

Nao was surprised by Umeko's knowledge. "He is real? I thought he was just some urban legend because there have been reports of a person copying his stories."

"He is definitely real. There are reports about him. An interviewer was even able to interview him." Umeko told him. _So there really is a Sparkling Justice but from what I am hearing, he sounds old, older than us. Sparkling Justice 2.0…hmmmmm_

"What if we are dealing with Sparkling Justice's protégé?" Nao suddenly brought up the possibility. Umeko was clearly confused by this. Nao knew he had to explain his idea. "If we think about it, the title of the book specifically says 2.0. Doesn't that usually mean an improved version of something? What if this Sparkling Justice 2.0 was guided by the original? Honestly, I am just grasping at straws here."

Umeko agreed. "Whoever this person is, I hope they don't cause any trouble for us."

After that, the two continued cooking their breakfast. Eventually, they were finished. Nao took it upon himself to ready the table outside. He took some plates and utensils and brought it out of the kitchen using the serving cart. As soon as he stepped out, he immediately saw someone was already outside waiting for food.

"Hello, Manon! You are quite early." Nao greeted Manon who was looking a bit sleepy.

Manon was sitting staring at the floor as if her energy was sucked out of her. Her eyes were droopy. She was about to fall asleep before Nao greeted her. Hearing his voice snapped her out of her daze. She turned to Nao and greeted him, "Hey…" Still, she was moving lethargically.

_She really is a night owl. Active at night, dormant in the morning. _Nao then proceeded at the table. However, seeing Manon, he could not help but feel awkward if he does not talk to her. "You are still quite sleepy. Why don't you just sleep in like you used to?" Nao asked.

Manon immediately replied, "Oh how I wish I could sleep in! These past days are really irritating. People have been waking me up too early." _Does that mean someone woke her up today? _Hearing this, Nao was curious why she was awake this early.

"Who woke you up today?" Nao asked. Manon replied, "Samuru. Samuru woke me up." _I wonder why he woke her up this early._

"I really hate waking up early as well. Normally, I wake up around 12." Nao shared.

Manon was surprised by this. "Twelve? It does not look like it. I thought of you like a morning person because you wake up so early with Umeko." Nao quickly replied, "I guess Umeko's upbeat energy rubbed on me."

Manon just nodded to what he said. After that, it was a complete silence again. _I should try talking to her again. I am curious about where our conversation could lead to. _"So how are you?" Nao asked. _Dumb question but I am pretty sure she will reply with something to it._

"As always, I feel like total shit." Manon replied. _She must be bothered by something other than her wake-up calls._

"Why?" Nao continued to ask.

"I miss the outside world so much! I want to get out of here and ride a bike! I want to go to a picnic with my family. Even though we don't see eye to eye all the time, I miss them." Manon answered. _Her family… I think it would be great to know more about her family dynamics._

Because of this, Nao decided to push the conversation in that direction. "I don't think I have ever heard of you talk about your family. You sound like you have interesting stories about your family." Manon quickly responded, "Yeah, I do. We are kind of weird. I think we are weird but for some people, we seem normal."

"Can you explain to me why you think like this?" Nao asked.

Manon replied, "Yeah. Well, you see, my family and I live in Amsterdam but we are also Japanese. Growing up, it did not feel weird all the time but there were instances I would feel weird about what we do as Japanese even though we live in Amsterdam. Don't get me wrong. I know I am half-Japanese but because I grew up in Amsterdam, I feel closer to my Dutch heritage."

Nao was surprised to know this. "You are Dutch?" Nao asked. Manon nodded.

"I know it is kind of surprising but I was only able to act like I have immersed myself in Japanese culture my whole life because I was sent here in Japan as an exchange student. If you see my family, you will definitely think they are not Japanese." Manon continued.

"How many are you in your family?" Nao asked.

Manon quickly answered, "There are actually four of us. Of course, there is my mom and dad. Also, there is my twin sister, Rina."

"Twin sister?" Nao asked.

"Yup, I have a fraternal twin sister. Her name is Rina. Even though we are twins, we are so different from each other. She is so bright and cheerful while I am dark and gloomy. I kind of call us the night and day. I kind of liken her to the sun, she is golden and brings warmth to everyone around her. She is quite popular with all the good reasons.

As for me, I am always isolated and looked at as some weird mystery. Whenever people hear Rina is my twin, people are shocked. That is how different we are to each other. However, for some reason, we work. We do not really fight with each other and are able to understand each of our sides. She grabs everyone's attention while I hide from it and I like it that way." Manon answered. _She has quite an interesting dynamics with her twin sister. Her sister sounds like the good girl while she is the black sheep of her family. It kind of makes sense. There are moments she acts like she above the rules._

After hearing her story, Nao was satisfied with what he learned about Manon's personal life. Nao continued with his duty. Eventually, he finished setting up the table. Right before he leaves, Manon quickly called him. Nao was curious about this.

"Yes?" Nao asked right before he was about to leave.

Manon looked around before continuing. "What do you think about the ones who are currently leading us?" Nao was surprised by this question. _What an odd question coming from her. _Nao looked at her and said, "I think they are trying their best to lead us."

Manon looked at him and was a little bit disappointed with his answer. She sat up straight and looked more serious compared to earlier. "I do think they are doing the best they can but what if there is someone who can be better to lead us?" Manon asked again.

_What is she up to? _Nao had no idea why she is talking about this. "If that is the case, I think they should lead but from what I am seeing so far, I think our current leaders are our best shot."

Immediately, Manon replied, "Samuru brought up an interesting point this morning. He told me, 'If the current leaders are really effective, why are we witnessing so many deaths?' I can't help but agree with him on that."

_I am feeling uncomfortable talking about this. _Nao decided to ask, "Are you planning to overthrow Reyes and Jitsunori?" Manon suddenly lost her composure after hearing the question. "I am not really sure what Samuru is planning. I am just following him since I trust him. He seems crazy to everyone but Roxanne and I know that he makes important points that should not be disregarded."

Suddenly, the door of the cafeteria opened. Manon stopped talking when she saw it was Jitsunori and Mako who entered. She looked at Nao and whispered, "Please don't tell anyone about what we talked about." After that, she went back to looking sleepy.

Nao then turned to Jitsunori and Mako who were both laughing. He was definitely surprised to see them. Immediately, Nao walked towards them and asked, "Are you two already okay?" Mako instantly replied, "Never been better! You know what, I feel better than I normally do! I feel like I have so much energy that I can swim twenty, no, thirty laps!"

Nao turned to Jitsunori for a clear answer. "Right after the trial, Monokuma injected us with something. After that, Mako and I felt like were both being charged like a battery." Mako suddenly did a handstand in the middle of the cafeteria. "Look, I have so much energy, I can do a handstand with ease! I think I could do so many things before feeling tired again! I don't want to feel so sick ever again! I want to stay like this forever woohoo!"

Mako stopped doing a handstand and stood up straight again. Jitsunori tapped him on his shoulder and said, "Calm yourself down. We should conserve our energy. Who knows what Monokuma's injection's side effects are." After that, Mako tried to relax and sat beside Manon. Jitsunori then soon followed.

Seeing that everything is okay in the cafeteria, Nao went back to the kitchen to help Umeko. "Hey, let's bring these dishes out!" Nao and Umeko brought the dishes out along with two pitchers of fresh milk. The two went out and saw that everyone was already there except for Norio and Manon.

"Hana? Are you already okay?" Umeko asked.

Hana put out her thumbs up. "Of course! Why would I not be fine? I am definitely doing alright if you ask me!" Hearing this, Nao and Umeko became happy. _I guess she is back to her normal cheerful self. _After a second, Manon went back from the comfort room and sat on her seat which was beside Hana's.

The two served the dishes and the group started eating. It was like one of their ordinary breakfasts. Hana would make everyone laugh. People would look at Jitsunori and Mako and root for their blossoming relationship secretly. Asuka would say something that would lead to an argument and Reyes would act as a mediator. _I really miss the days when we were complete and like this. The only thing missing is Norio sitting with us._

Nao became curious as to what Norio is doing. _I know he does not trust us. I just wish he could so that we would finally feel like a united group. _As the group was laughing, Nao looked serious thinking about Norio. Umeko noticed this and nudged him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Umeko asked.

"Yeah, I just thought it would be better if Norio is here. Wouldn't it feel nice that we are complete eating our meals." Nao told her.

Umeko nodded. "I also wish Norio would join us but I think we should try to have some fun for now. I think we deserve this especially with what happened yesterday." Nao agreed and tried to forget about his problems.

The group continued to have fun until they were all done eating. After that, Reyes took the initiative to call for a meeting about important things. "I know we had fun but I think we should talk about some serious stuff since we are complete. Well, almost complete."

The group suddenly became serious. Reyes was leading the meeting. Remembering what Manon told him, Nao decided to observe her and Samuru while Reyes lead. "We should first talk about the inventory. From what I recall, Eri and Takashiro, you two are the ones in charge of today's shift."

"We are going to do it after this!" Takashiro said while Eri silently nodded.

Nao looked at Samuru who seemed displeased with how things are going down. He has his arms crossed while his right brow is raised. _I wonder what is going on inside Samuru's head. _Then, his focus shifted towards Manon who seemed indifferent to everything that is happening. _I know she is listening but knowing her she does not care if it does not involve her specifically._

After that, he continued listening to Reyes. "You can get the master list from Umeko after this. I also want to talk about Hana's shift. Seeing that you are okay to help the group, you will be doing your shift with me which is tomorrow."

Hana quickly replied, "Okay!" After that, they started talking about the new floor. This time Jitsunori took charge of the meeting. "Let's also talk about the new floor. I know everyone here has received the new file. I was wondering if everyone wants to explore the new floor later." Jitsunori asked the group. Samuru immediately replied, "Of course! We need to know what is up there to be safe!"

Jitsunori then followed with, "I suggest we do it by pairs or triads." Nao looked at Samuru who seems to be getting irritated with how the meeting is going. Samuru could no longer contain it and decided to take the reins. "Roxanne, Manon, and I will be a triad. I am sure you, Mako, and Reyes are also going to be a triad. Nao, partner with Umeko. Eri, Takashiro, and Hana will be another triad. Does that sound okay?" _Why does it feel like he is in a rush? _Jitsunori decided to go with the groupings.

After that, the meeting seemed to be over. However, Nao wasn't satisfied. He knew they need to talk about something. Before everyone could stand up from their seats, he grabbed everyone's attention. "Guys, wait! I think we need to talk about another thing."

Mako was the first to reply, "What is it?"

"I think we should talk about Jirou's last words." Nao told everyone who silenced the group. "Are you talking about the secret serial killer in our group?" Mako asked. Nao nodded and continued. "I think Jirou's warning should be taken seriously."

"Of course! It should be taken seriously. We don't know what this person is capable of." Reyes commented. After hearing this, Nao felt like he could continue. "Yesterday after the trial, I went straight to the library to find the book Jirou was talking about. I was able to find it but it was set on fire by someone. It must probably be the serial killer." Nao told the group.

"This is alarming! They really don't want to be revealed." Jitsunori said. "The book was completely burnt but I was able to find out what the book was." Nao said.

"What is it?" Hana asked.

"Monokuma told me the book is titled 'Sparkling Justice 2.0: A Double-Edged Sword'." Nao answered. Hearing this, everyone was silenced. Reyes was the first to comment. "I thought Sparkling Justice is an urban legend. His stories are really famous in Spain. Are you sure it is the book?"

Suddenly, Samuru stood up in anger. He slammed his fist onto the table scaring everyone. It was obvious the name "Sparkling Justice" struck a nerve with him. He looked at everyone with anger. All of a sudden, he took his battle-ax and pointed it at everyone. "Sparkling Justice is real. I have been tracking him down for years after he killed two bureaucrats here in Japan. Whoever you are, I will make sure you pay for all of your crimes. I will execute for your notorious deeds as a vigilante."

After that, Asuka tried to calm him down. "Relax. Just sit down. You are scaring everyone for nothing. There could be a possibility Sparkling Justice is not in this room. Calm down." After that, Samuru sat down.

Nao continued after seeing Samuru is okay. "I think we just have to be careful about this person. They clearly don't want to be revealed but they have not made any move that has harmed us. Maybe they are not interested in us and just want to remain unknown."

After that, the meeting was finished. Everyone started to stand up. Suddenly, Manon screamed. "What the fuck is this! Who glued me on this chair!" She stood up with the chair glued on her butt. Everyone was surprised except for one. The culprit was giggling. They were trying to cover it but Nao immediately saw their grin after seeing Manon's reaction.

He turned to Hana and said, "Hana, did you do this?" Hana quickly took the blame for it. "Hahahahaha! I sure did! Manon's reaction is priceless." Hearing this, Manon was understandably angered.

"What were you thinking?" Manon asked.

Hana kept on laughing. "Hahahahaha! I am so sorry! I cannot take you seriously with you looking like that." Hearing this, Samuru walked towards her and gazed down on her to intimidate her. To everyone's surprise, Hana's eyes met with Samuru's and she did not back down. She let out a sly smile and said, "I hope this proves I am not some weak bitch like Jirou thought. I can make anyone's life a living hell if I want to. I hope this serves a lesson to everyone who is looking down on me." After that, she walked out of the room leaving everyone speechless.

_I guess what Jirou said in the last trial really affected her. To be looked down and treated as weak must have hurt her ego. _After that, Asuka took Manon to her room to help her out with her situation. Umeko decided to tag along thinking she might be of help. Samuru has also left the room. Eri and Takashiro told the group they will be checking the inventory. Reyes decided to leave as well to find Hana. There were only three people left in the cafeteria , Jitsunori, Mako, and Nao.

Nao was fixing the table while the two were talking. After some time, Mako decided to leave and find Reyes. Nao was left Jitsunori. The two were at first silent but Jitsunori decided to Nao. "Hey! How's it been? It has been a while since both of us talked to each other alone."

Nao suddenly giggled. "I remember. You were flustered about what you and Mako truly are." Suddenly, Jitsunori turned red. Nao found it amusing to see him like that. _I guess he has one weakness right now and that is Mako._

"So do you now know what you two truly are?" Nao asked. Jitsunori stopped blushing and only smiled while looking at his hands. "I still don't know." Nao was confused with Jitsunori's answer. _What? Why is he happy about that? Wasn't he upset about that?_

Jitsunori continued, "I still don't know but I know we are both happy with each other. I want to be able to tell Mako how I truly feel. I don't want them to just think that I am happy with them as a friend but…I don't want to force on Mako my feelings. That is what I learned spending my time with Mako these past few days."

_That was so sweet of him to talk about Mako like that. I guess this is how someone who has fallen in love should look like. _Nao found Jitsunori's affection for Mako adorable.

"Have you ever fallen in love like this before?" Nao asked.

Jitsunori quickly answered, "Mako is my first."

Nao was surprised by this. "Really? With your looks and attitude, a lot of men and women must have fallen for you. Has none of them ever made you feel something?" Nao asked. Jitsunori simply giggled and said, "Let's just say I never had the time for romance." Nao wanted to learn more about what Jitsunori meant by this.

"How come you never had time for romance?" Nao asked.

Jitsunori started to tell a part of his life to Nao. "Aside from the salon, I was busy helping out my hometown. My hometown is a bustling city for criminals. A lot of criminals live in my area. Even though our community is close-knit, there were still some who chose to abuse and take advantage of other people.

One of the most common crimes in my hometown is breaking into someone's house. Within a week, there is an average of four houses that have been broken into by a criminal. Most often than not, these criminals would target those who are living a middle-class life.

Knowing the dangers of living in my hometown, I learned how to fight so that whenever I need to apprehend someone, I can fight back. I was once able to use what I have learned in protecting my family. We were once broken in but, unfortunately for the criminals, I was able to fight back.

However, I usually use what I have learned in helping other people. I love to walk. During my walks, I would see crime. I try to help everyone that I can because I believe we should live life as kind as one can be. I am usually successful in helping anyone I can.

I know it sounds lonely but I have a friend with me to help me out in protecting the town. His name is Dengorou. He thought me a lot of things when it comes to protecting people and made me enjoy it. He always had my back while I had his.

Together, we became notorious for criminals and were able to lower the crime rate. It was mostly Dengorou's but I love that I was able to help out the community where I grew up and live."

_Wow! He really is great. He is brave enough to help out anyone he can even if it means risking his own life. I wish there are more people like him. _Nao became more appreciative of Jitsunori. After that, Mako came back with Reyes. The three then went out of the cafeteria and left him.

He grabbed all of the plates and utensils and brought it to the kitchen. There, he washed the utensils as he waited for Umeko to come back. He and Umeko had planned to tour the new floor after breakfast. After washing the dishes, he sat in the cafeteria waiting for her.

As he waited for her, he saw Norio come in. Just like last time, he went straight to the kitchen and grabbed some food to eat. The two did not interact that much. Only Nao did was observe him. _He really wants to be left alone. I know that we can't trust everyone but I think we should find people worth trusting in our situation. That would at least lighten the weight of our situation._

As soon as Norio was done eating, he put the plates and utensils he used in the kitchen. As he was about to leave the kitchen, he looked back at Nao. "Do you have any idea who Sparkling Justice could be?" Nao was shocked by this. _I did not expect him to initiate a conversation with me._

He responded with, "Sadly, I have no clue it could be."

Norio then said, "I have an idea who it could be but I wish I am wrong. Honestly, I think we shouldn't find out who Sparkling Justice is." _Why? _Nao was intrigued by this. He was about to ask why Norio said that when Umeko entered the cafeteria. Because of this, Norio left the room leaving Nao and Umeko alone.

Umeko walked towards Nao and asked, "What was that about?"

"It was about Sparkling Justice. He said we should not find out who this person is." Nao immediately answered.

"Why did he say that?" Umeko asked again.

"I don't know but I kind of understand where he is coming from." Nao answered. _Revealing the identity would just create distrust within the group. Right now, what we need is trust within the group. _After that, Nao stood up and told Umeko they should start their exploration.

The two walked upstairs to the third floor. The two did not know what to expect. _The third floor could be anything. It could be as lavish as the second floor or as ordinary as the first floor. I hope there is nothing dangerous about the third floor but, knowing Monokuma, for sure there are things we should worry about._

When the two reached the third floor, they surprised to see what it was. The whole floor was bright. It was lit up by long, huge fluorescent lamps. The floor was made up of white glossy tiles. The walls were reflective. The design of the whole floor made it clean and sleek. _This floor, it feels like I am in a quarantine. That is how clean it looks. _

"What does this floor have in store for us?" Umeko asked.

Nao looked at her. "We are about to find out."

The two walked towards the first door they saw. As they were walking, they already noticed something. "The floor is slippery. Is it wet?" Umeko asked. Nao looked down and noticed a few bubbles. "It looks like it has been newly mopped."

Satisfied with this answer, the two continued to walk to the first door they saw. The door was similar to the door of the classrooms on the other two doors. _This must be another classroom. _The two opened and were right. It was a classroom. It was similar to the other classrooms.

The two immediately searched for anything new in the room. Unfortunately, there was nothing worth noting about the room. "It is literally like the other classrooms. There is nothing special in here. We should move on to the next room. Maybe it is a new room." Nao told Umeko.

The two went out of the room and went to the room next to it. It was another. Just like in the first classroom. There was nothing worth remembering about. The two were disappointed in the first two rooms. _I really wish we find something useful. I really do._

Nao and Umeko went to the next room. Unlike the two first rooms, this room has a door made of metal. It was huge. The door looked stainless since it has no rust. On the door was a wheel. Instinctively, Nao turned the wheel to unlock it. To his surprise, the door unlocked quickly. "I did not expect that." He told Umeko.

The two pulled the door to open. As soon as they opened it, they immediately saw what was inside. The room has several shelves filled with different chemicals. The floor was made of white tiles like in the main hallway. The two entered to take a closer look. The two immediately noticed the labels. There were chemicals that were labeled as harmless. However, there were also chemicals that are labeled as hazardous.

Umeko immediately knew what the room was after looking inside. "This must be a chemical storage room. It is clean and organized. I mean it should be clean and organized. It follows the standard procedures of what a chemical storage room should be. The door is made of metal as it should be. The labels are complete."

As Umeko was talking, Nao noticed there were screens with numbers shown in front of every row of chemicals. He took one chemical labeled as Chemical W. He immediately noticed something about the screen. "Umeko, look at this."

He showed the screen. When Umeko saw this, Nao put back the Chemical W from where it came from. The number suddenly increased. "I think it shows how much chemical is left on the shelf." This amazed the two.

"This will be very helpful for future inventory." Umeko said. After seeing there was nothing left to be noted, the two left the room and closed it like how they found it.

The two then went to the room in front of the chemical storage room. The door was made of tinted glass. It was a sliding door with a black metal frame. Nao slid the door open to reveal a huge office. It was dimly lit. Umeko searched for the switch and turned the lights on. They were able to see what the room had. The floor was made of white tiles again. However, unlike the hallway, the walls were painted in blue. It had several desks with several files stacked on top of it. In front of the room was a huge screen with a satellite image of Japan. There were also equipment the two were unfamiliar with.

The two took a closer look at the files on top of the desks. "Friday, at 9 o'clock pm, partly cloudy. Precipitation is eight percent. Humidity is eighty-four percent. And, wind speed is eleven kilometers per hour." Umeko read out loud.

Nao looked at the satellite image and noticed something. "I think this is a live satellite image." Nao told Umeko. Hearing this, Umeko put down the files she was reading and went to Nao. "I think this is a weather station or something." Nao agreed with Umeko's guess. _What Umeko read must have been a weather report._

After that, Nao and Umeko went out of the room. The two went to the next room. The room had a white door. The door was a sliding door. Nao slid the door open to see a chemistry lab. The room had white tiles and walls. It was well lit with different stations. There were several cabinets inside the room. The two immediately looked at the cabinets. There were three cabinets. All three cabinets were white with its doors having transparent glass panes on it.

Umeko opened the first cabinet. It was filled with beakers, pipets, flasks, burettes, cylinders, and test tubes. "This cabinet is filled with glassware." Nao said as he looked at the content of the cabinet. The second cabinet was filled with clamps, gauzes, stands, scissors, and tongs. "This one is for steelware." Umeko said as she grabs a tong. The last cabinet was filled with rugs, wash bottles, gloves, lab coats and shoes, and masks. "This must be where cleaning materials and personal protective equipment are stored." Nao said.

After that, they inspected the stations. The stations were identical. They were all made with white tiles. Each of them has a sink with an option for hot and cold water. As they were looking at one of the stations, they found a binder. The two opened it to find out it was a guide. It was like a recipe book for chemicals. Each recipe was written in a way that everyone can understand.

"This can be dangerous." Umeko said as she closed the binder. Nao agreed with her. "People might use this to make acids and poisons. We should tell this to the group." Nao suggested. After that, Umeko put down the binder and went to the room in front of it.

The room's door was made of wood. It had a simple doorknob. Nao opened the door to see it is filled with different equipment. It was similar to the chemical storage room. The only difference is what is stored inside. Also, it does not have screens like in the chemical storage room. Nao took a closer and saw objects that can cause blunt force trauma when used creatively.

"We should add this room for inventory as well." Nao suggested. Umeko agreed with it. The two continued to search the room. Eventually, they stopped seeing that there is nothing else to find.

The two left the room and went to the nearest room. The room had a clear glass sliding door. On the door was a sign stuck onto it. "Calibration Room…" Nao read out loud. The two opened the door and immediately felt the cold air that came from inside.

The two stepped in and immediately felt the cold. "My god! Where is the air conditioner? We should adjust the temperature." Umeko commented. The two immediately looked for the air conditioner. They found it in the corner of the room. The two immediately turned up the temperature.

"Much better!" Umeko said. After that, the two continued to observe the room. The room was white. It has countless of shelves containing analytical balances. There were also crates. The two opened each crate to see what they contain. It only contained small pieces of metal. They were clueless about what to do with the metals. Because of that, they moved on to the different equipment in the room. There were also different weights ranging from 1 kg to 100 kgs. Beside the weights are weighing scales and balance beams. There were also temperature baths near the shelves.

"I am not familiar with most of the things in here so I don't know whether or not these are dangerous." Umeko said. Nao agreed. _If there is only a scientist in our group. Maybe they know anything about these. _

The two continued to look around the room and noticed there was a whiteboard on one of the walls of the room. On it were data the two could not understand. "What? 24˚C to 64˚C? What is this about?" Umeko asked. Near the board was also a dehumidifier. _I hope someone knows what these are. _

After that, the two left the room. The two went to the only room have yet to enter. The door was similar to the weather station's door. It was a tinted sliding door. The two opened it and the first thing they notice is the computers. There were about thirty computers inside the room. It was complete with equipment. _I guess this is a computer lab._

"We should check each computer. Maybe there are files we might discover." Nao suggested. The two started using the computers. The first computer Nao opened was completely blank. It did not have any files and only have offices and apps. Seeing that their computers are empty, the two would move to another computer. Eventually, there were only three computers left to check.

Nao opened the computer numbered "3". As soon as he opened, he immediately noticed it was different. The wallpaper was different from the rest. The other computers have sceneries from nature as their wallpaper. Unlike those, this computer has three words scribbled out as wallpaper. "Romeo Echo India…" Nao was confused by this. _Aren't these NATO phonetic alphabets? If that is the case, it spells out… _"Rei…"

Other than the wallpaper, there was a file on the desktop that was not present in other computers. Nao clicked it and it immediately asked for a password. _What is this? _Nao did not know what to put. He thought hard about it and could only think of one word to write. "R-E-I" Suddenly, the file opened. _Rei, did she do this?_

After doing so, he called Umeko. "Umeko, you need to see this!" Umeko quickly went to him and looked at the file. "What is it?" Umeko asked.

"I found a file with a password. I was able to open it and this what it has" Nao told her. The two looked at the file. It was only filled with dots and lines. The file contains this: - / - / .- / -... "I think this is morse code." Nao guessed.

"Who did this and what is it for?" Umeko asked. _Why is the password "Rei"? I need to find out what the code translates to. It might come in handy. _After that, the two took note of the code. After that, they continued looking through the remaining computers. Just like the previous computers, there was nothing special about them. After that, the two went out of the room.

The two were walking back to the kitchen. Nao was deep in thoughts. All he could think about is the code they found. Because of this, the walk was silent. Nao did not notice this. However, Umeko was clearly bothered by the silence.

"Uhmmmm…Nao, I have a question for you?" Suddenly, Nao was snapped out from his deep thoughts. He looked at Umeko and waited for the question. "What is it?" Nao asked. Umeko was hesitant but she still asked him her question. "Do you know what it is like to fall in love?"

Nao was surprised by this. _Where did this question come from? _"I don't think so. I have never fallen in love with anyone before."

Umeko then asked, "Do you ever wonder what it feels like to be in love?"

Nao then looked at Umeko. "Are you in love?" Suddenly, Umeko was silent and turned red. _She is in love! _Umeko quickly denied, "No…No…No, I am not in love. Who said I am in love? Are you in love?" _What is up with her today?_

"What?" Nao asked.

Umeko sighed and look at Nao. "Nevermind. You don't look like you're in love anyway." _Why is it suddenly about me? _After that, Umeko started walking leaving Nao standing in confusion. _What did I do wrong? Should I do something? _

After realizing he was all alone, he ran to catch up to Umeko. "Hey, wait up!" Nao took Umeko's arm making her turn around to look at him. She stood stiffly looking at Nao who was inches away from her. "Hey, I am sorry if I said anything wrong! I really did not mean it. I will just be more careful about what I say next time. Just please, don't be angry at me."

Umeko giggled and said, "I am not angry. I am not. I am sorry. This is not your fault. It is mine. I just feel like I am going crazy!" Nao suddenly asked, "Crazy for what?" Umeko looked at him silently and took a step back. "It is nothing important. It is not important. Just forget it. We should just head back to the kitchen and prepare lunch like we normally do." Umeko said. Nao followed her to the kitchen and the two started preparing lunch. _I really hope Umeko and I are okay. I don't want to ruin this. I can't. She is the person I have been closest to. _Nao thought as he cooked alongside with Umeko.

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**That is it for the first update of this chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading this!**

**Are you excited for the third chapter? Who do you think is going to kick the bucket next?**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. **

**That is it for now! Good luck to all of us!**


	24. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 2

**Hi guys! Here is the next update! I hope you enjoy it!**

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It was already hours before dinner time. During lunchtime, the group was unusually incomplete. The people who came by for lunch were Hana, Eri, Takashiro, Jitsunori, Mako, Reyes, and Nao. The group was bothered by this. "Where are the other three? Are they going to eat lunch?" Reyes said before everyone finished their lunch. Because of this, the people who ate lunch together decided to do their reporting on the third floor during dinner time.

Right now, Nao was inside the kitchen with Umeko. The two were planning on what their dinner will be. Nao tries to act normal but he was completely bothered by Umeko's question earlier. _"Do you know what it is like to fall in love? Are you in love?" What were those questions for? Why did she ask those questions? _Nao tries to forget about it but whenever he is alone or with Umeko, that is all he could think of. What bothers him the most about it is the fact that he does not know why he is haunted by those questions.

"Did you get the plan?" Umeko asked. Nao suddenly snapped back to reality. He does not know what to say. It was obvious Nao was completely distracted. Umeko could see it in his face. She giggled before telling him what they will be cooking.

"I said we will be cooking chicken roulade and asparagus. And, I suggested you make vegan soft cookies. Did you get it now?" Umeko reiterated. Nao simply nodded. This prompted Umeko to leave Nao alone while she starts cooking.

The two were silently making their dinner when the door suddenly opened. The two turned to the door to see it was Asuka who opened it. The two were surprised to see her but at the same time relieved since she was nowhere to be found during lunch.

Umeko was the first to greet her. "Hi! Where have you been?" After that, Nao said hello as well. Asuka replied, "Sorry, I had some shit to talk about with Samuru." Umeko was surprised to hear this. "Did you two fight?" Umeko quickly asked.

"Of course not! We just needed to talk about something." With that, Umeko stopped asking her. Nao could not help but think it must have something to do with what he and Manon talked about earlier. _Did Samuru tell Roxanne about what he thinks of the current leadership? Are they planning to do something?_ Nao wanted to ask Asuka everything but he knew that he should control himself since it was not his place to know their private business.

Umeko told Asuka what the dinner was going to be. Asuka immediately followed Umeko's order. She helped Umeko with the roulades. After a few more minutes, everything was done. The only thing left to do were the refreshments. Asuka was hesitant about it.

"Are we sure we are going to make juice again after what happened last time? I don't want to cause poisoning again." Asuka asked.

Nao reassured Asuka it is safe. "Don't worry! There aren't any missing poison this time. Plus, I already took out the poisoned juice powders earlier. I promise you no one will be poisoned." After that, Asuka took out the only juice powder available in the fridge and made juice with it. It was melon-flavored and its smell wafted through the air.

"This smells great!" Asuka said as she mixed the juice. She was smiling as she made the refreshments. _At least that is a step closer to recovering from what happened last time. I know Asuka is a tough gal but what happened must have traumatized her. She might be even blaming herself for what happened._

After making the juice, the three went out of the room with the cooked meal and utensils. Greeting them were everyone from lunch including Manon and Samuru. _I guess they will be finally joining us for dinner. _Seeing them made Umeko smile.

"Hi guys!" Umeko greeted the two. Manon waved hello while Samuru was unmoved by it. He was sitting with his arms crossed while looking at the group with such intensity. _What is his problem? He looks so serious. It is kind of scary._

The three put down the meals. After setting the table, the group started to eat. The group was unusually silent. The only one noisy was Hana. She was the only reason why most of them could tolerate eating with Samuru's uncomfortable aura. _Seriously, can he just take it down a notch?_

When Reyes saw the group was almost finished eating, she decided to start the meeting they were supposed to have during lunchtime. "I think we should start the meeting. Let's begin discussing the third floor."

Jitsunori was the first person to say something about the floor. "The floor was clean. It was too clean honestly. I could even tell it was newly mopped which is weird. Who can mop a locked floor?" Jitsunori told the group. Nao was surprised that it was not only him who was able to take note of that.

Takashiro decided to say something as well. "I would think that the floor would have some dust but the whole floor was spotless. It should have some dust after being not taken care of for how many days." _I agree. My guess is that Monokuma cleaned it this morning. But, why would he bother cleaning it?_

Umeko also raised something she noticed. "The whole floor is quite bright with the tiles being reflective and the lights' huge size. It is not a great place for people who gets migraine easily. Bright lights can trigger a migraine."

"Thank you for that Umeko! Those who get migraines easily, please be careful." Reyes said.

Then the discussion shifted to the rooms on the floor. "Can we talk about the rooms? Did anyone notice anything about the rooms?" Jitsunori asked. Immediately, Eri answered, "They are all connected to science."

Nao decided to add, "Chemistry, computer technology, meteorology, and metrology. Those are the specific fields that are present on the third floor."

"The rooms are quite clean. It must be because of what the rooms are used for. The experiments and tasks done inside the rooms require cleanliness to be done properly." Mako decided to add in the conversation.

Suddenly, Nao decided to bring up something about what he observed. "After seeing the second floor, I thought the third floor will be filled with so many dangerous objects but to my surprise, there aren't as many weapons that can be used to kill as I thought there would be." Everyone agreed with Nao's statement.

"The only clear threats found on that floor were hazardous chemicals. Other than that, there is not much to worry about." Umeko added.

Before the group gloss over the topic, Nao decided to bring up something. "I know that the chemicals are the only clear threats on the floor but I was wondering if there is anything dangerous found in the calibration room? To me, nothing seems dangerous. Does anyone know what those tools are for?"

Slowly, Eri raised her hands. "I-I-I know what the tools are. I-I-I own some of them." Nao was shocked by this. _I did not think Eri would know some of it._

Eri decided to explain why she knew the equipment. "I-I-I use different tools to make toys. I-i-in making toys, measurement is very important. I use m-m-measuring tools for this but I n-n-need them to be exact. Th-th-that's why I have my measuring tools calibrated every month to be sure. Because of this, I have f-f-familiarized myself with the procedures and tools used in calibrating." _I guess we are lucky we have Eri or else we would be clueless about the room._

"I can say that there is nothing dangerous about the room…other than the weights." Eri continued. Hearing this, Reyes told Eri, "For your night shift in inventory, can you add the necessary stuff to check during inventory?" Eri meekly nodded.

After that, Eri and Takashiro decided to tell the group there was nothing missing when they did the inventory this morning. With this, Reyes thought it was okay to adjourn the meeting. However, Nao decided to bring up something important. _I need to tell the group what Umeko and I found in the computer lab._

Everyone was about to stand up when Nao decided to speak. "Wait! Umeko and I need to tell you guys something we found." Everyone who was already standing up sat down again. This intrigued everyone causing them to listen intently to Nao.

"We found a message in the computer lab." This shocked everyone. "Message?" Manon commented. "What is it?" Reyes asked.

"It was a code we need to decipher." Nao told the group. This surprised everyone. "A code? How are we supposed to crack the code?" Mako commented. Umeko decided to answer, "Don't worry! We already have an idea on how to solve it. I think Nao and I can crack it tomorrow." This reassured everyone.

"Tell us if you have any progress on that tomorrow, okay?" Reyes told the two. Nao nodded in agreement. Before everyone left, Reyes asked, "Is there anything we need to talk about? Bring up everything you have discovered or deem worthy of talking about."

Samuru suddenly stood up grabbing everyone's attention. He gazed at everyone before talking. "For some time, I have been having doubts about the current leadership." Nao was surprised by this. _Is he going to bring up about his thoughts on Reyes and Jitsunori? _Nao could not say anything and just watched Samuru.

"I thought I could just let it slide act as a supporting figure. However, I cannot anymore with what has been happening. There has been too much death and it needs to stop. Because of that, I have decided to take charge of the group." This shocked everyone. Jitsunori nor Reyes could respond. _He was blunt about it. This is interesting._

It took a minute before Reyes could respond. "Samuru, I am so sorry but I want to ask, is it just the current deaths that made you think like this?" Samuru immediately replied, "No but it is one of the reasons why I have decided to rise as a leader."

"What are the other reasons?" Jitsunori asked.

Samuru briefly replied, "Sparkling Justice." _Sparkling Justice? He must be really ticked by that person to make him do this. _Seeing that everyone is not satisfied with this, Samuru decided to explain himself. "I know Sparkling Justice. They are too dangerous under incompetent leadership." _Oooh…I think that was too much. _Samuru continued. "I need to make sure they are under control."

It was obvious that Reyes was offended by this. "I am sorry but I have to disagree with you. I don't think you could just blame us for Jirou's murder. It was his choice and not ours. We did every precaution we could-" Reyes was cut off by Samuru.

"But it wasn't enough. If you two have been stricter, this would not have-" Samuru was cut off by the annoyed Reyes. "I was not done talking. Let me finish. We did every precaution we could but it was still Jirou's lack of discipline that made him kill. Every one of us can only do so much to stop one of our peers to kill. It is still up to them to decide whether they become the good guy or the bad guy."

"I totally disagree. As leaders, it is your responsibility to keep everyone safe. You have to acknowledge that responsibility. You should have been more stern your rule." Samuru told Reyes.

Reyes was still composed but it was obvious in her tone that she was annoyed by Samuru. "I do agree that we have that responsibility. However, it is unfair to blame everything on the leaders. The leaders can only do so much to a troublesome follower."

The conversation was getting heated with both Reyes and Samuru standing up looking at each other with annoyance. The room was completely still. Everyone was waiting for someone to speak. _I hope no one gets hurt. Please, calm down, both of you!_

Samuru was the first to move. He decided to speak one last time before leaving the room. "I am sorry Reyes and Jitsunori but I still think you should be better at being leaders. Until that time comes, I should lead the team especially with Sparkling Justice around."

Samuru walked out of the room. Asuka and Manon quickly followed. _That was close. I thought the two were going to draw their weapons. Everyone needs to calm down. This is not the time to fight. We need each other to survive this game._

Reyes sat down and quickly apologized. "I am so sorry for acting like that. It just felt unfair for being blamed for what Jirou did. I can't help but defend Jitsunori and myself. I am so sorry if anyone here feels like I have been a useless leader but please do bear in mind that a leader can only do so much. The people they are leading still have the responsibility to carry their own weight as well."

After that, Reyes walked out. Jitsunori and Mako were worried and quickly followed her outside. The remaining five were silent. What happened was too tense for them to comment on. After a few more minutes, Hana stood up. She was walking when she tripped onto Eri. "I am so sorry." After that, Hana continued to walk away.

Nao and Umeko decided to start clearing the table while Eri and Takashiro stayed to talk. Umeko brought back the dirty plates and utensils into the kitchen and decided to wash them while Takashiro decided to go to the comfort room. This left Nao and Eri alone.

Nao decided to sit beside her so he stood up from where he sat and sat closer to her. Immediately, he noticed there was a piece of paper stuck onto her back. He quickly grabbed it. Eri saw this. The two looked at what was written on it.

"I'm a weak little lamb that always stutters. I have Tourette's syndrome." The two were appalled by what they read. Eri was disgusted by this. "Who did that?" Eri asked. Nao could only think of one person. "It must have been Hana." _This is disgusting! I know she is having some problems but this is way too much._

"I am sorry if my stuttering is weird…" Eri said. Nao immediately said, "I am not bothered by it. Don't let this note affect you. It is not worth your time." Nao stood up, crumpled the paper and threw it into a trash can. He went back to Eri with a smile.

"Hey, just like I said, don't it let it bother you. Just be you. You are fine." Nao reassured Eri. This made her smile. _At least I was able to comfort Eri. I need to talk to Hana about this. I don't want to bring this up to Reyes and Jitsunori. They already have enough problems to think about._

He looked at Eri who was completely unbothered by Hana's note. "You seem to be doing fine for someone bullied like that. Have you always been bullied?" Nao asked. Eri shook her head in denial. "I have never been bullied." Nao was happy to hear that.

"That is good to hear!" Nao commented. Quickly, Eri replied, "Not really…" Nao was surprised by this. _Why is not being bullied not a good thing? _Nao decided to learn more about this. "Can you tell me why you said that." Nao asked. Eri nodded and started telling a part of her life.

"I have never been bullied me b-b-because they were afraid of my family. I came from an affluent f-f-family. We have twenty-five maids, four butlers, and six security officers. They never harmed me or belittled me…because they were too afraid to lose their jobs.

I-I-I am thankful for being treated nicely but, sometimes, I wish they would t-t-tell me what they really think of me. D-d-do they find me nice…or annoying. Is there something I have to ch-ch-change about myself? Am I being offensive?

Even in school, no one d-d-dares to say anything bad about me because their parents tell them to be nice to me. Th-th-they are too scared of my parent's power. I just want to make friends…real friends. I want to be told of what they really think of me. Sometimes…I wonder if I really have friends." Nao could already see Eri tearing up. He immediately consoled Eri.

"You don't have to cry! You already have friends!" Nao told her. Eri tried to wipe her tears. She quickly asked, "Really? Who?" Nao smiled and answered, "As far as I know, you have Takashiro, Umeko, and me as your friends. You don't have to cry about not having friends. You already have friends."

"Are you telling the truth?" Eri asked.

Nao said, "Of course, I promise!" Suddenly, Takashiro went back from the comfort room. Eri quickly asked, "Am I your friend?" Takashiro quickly answered, "Of course you are! What kind of question is that?" Eri giggled hearing this. She turned to Nao and said, "Thank you!" _She deserves to know she has friends. She deserves to be happy._

After that, Nao left the two and decided to go to his room. He changed into his sleepwear and went to sleep. _Tomorrow will be a big day. I still have a code to crack. I hope Umeko and I will be able to solve it. I bet we could get the answer from the library. _After a few seconds, Nao was able to fall asleep.

* * *

It was a cloudy afternoon. The sun was hiding behind the grey clouds. Beneath the grey skies was a green meadow. It was peaceful. There was no noise but only beautiful scenery to take in. In the middle of the meadow was Nao.

Nao was lying on the grass looking at the skies silently waiting for the time to pass by. He let the wind gently touch his skin as he relaxes and worry about nothing. He was lying on the grass but has no idea where he is or why he was there. However, it did not matter to him. He was just happy to be somewhere peaceful, somewhere away from problems for the first time in a while.

As he continues his leisure, he heard footsteps walking towards. He was curious to find out who it was but it was not enough to make him move a muscle. He just lied down without a worry in the world.

Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. The person was standing beside him. He immediately recognized who the person was. A smiled formed on his face. "Hi there!" He greeted. Then, the person sat beside him.

It was Umeko who he was with. Nao got up and sat up straight. The two did not say a word. They only sat quietly as they looked at the sky. It was silent but it was enough for him to be just there with Umeko.

Umeko turned to him and said, "Are you in love?" Nao only looked at Umeko as she stared at his eyes. There was nothing he could say. Words won't form in his mouth. Confusion enveloped him. He does not know what to say. He knew there were only two answers to her question but he could not decide what to say.

After a few seconds, Nao finally had an answer. He was about to say it when he was cut off by Umeko. "Look!" She pointed out a boy who was crying. Umeko quickly stood up to run to him. Nao decided to follow.

Umeko quickly consoled him. "Hey there buddy! Are you alright?" The boy quickly answered, "No! Mom is dead!" The pointed at the marble tombstone that was in front of him. Suddenly, Nao was brought back to the time his mother died. He could not say a single word. Silently, he only stood there reliving his memories.

Suddenly, the boy turned to Nao. He was holding a letter and a locket. "Mom gave me this!" The boy said. Nao suddenly breaths became heavier. His chest felt like it was closing up. He could not breathe. It was too much for him to handle.

"No! Stop! That-that is mine!" Nao shouted.

* * *

Suddenly, Nao woke up from his dream. He took deep breaths before calming down. _It was just a dream. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. _When he was already calm, he tried to remember his dream.

Remembering the earlier part of his dream, his lips curved into a smile. _It wasn't all that bad. _He hopped out of his bed and got ready for the new day. He took a bath and changed into his clothes. After that, Nao looked at his tablet. _Wow, I woke up way early than I thought I did. _It was only a minute before the morning announcement.

Right after he stepped out of his room, Monokuma did his morning announcement. "Wake up! It is already six! I am so excited about today. Hihihihihihi!" After that, the audio system was turned off. _It looks like Monokuma is up to no good again._

He was standing in front of his room when Umeko went out of hers. "Hey! You are already awake as well!" Umeko greeted. Nao smiled and said, "Of course I am! I am awake. Why wouldn't I be awake?" _Why am I so awkward? _Umeko only giggled at Nao's response.

"Sure weirdo! Hahahahaha!" She tried to cover her laugh with her fabric but she couldn't contain it. _Why is she laughing so hard? Did I say something that funny? _Nao asked, "Did I say something?" Umeko quickly replied, "No! Hahahaha! No! The way you looked…OMG! Why am I laughing like this?" Nao was confused by this.

After a few seconds of calming down, the two walked together to the kitchen. Umeko quickly opened a conversation. "Did you sleep well last night?" Nao suddenly looked at her and said, "You asked me the exact same question in the exact same situation."

"Really?" Umeko asked.

"Yes! We got out of our rooms at the exact same time. We both went to the kitchen together. While we were walking, you asked me the same question." Nao told Umeko.

"Well, what did you say yesterday?" Umeko asked.

"Not that well…" Nao answered.

"What about now?"

"It was…It was fine." He answered as he smiled at Umeko.

"Well, it is good to hear that!" Umeko said.

After that, Nao suddenly changed the topic. "I was thinking after breakfast, we should go to the library. Let's solve that code already." Umeko agreed. After a short while, the two arrived in the kitchen. The two did not waste any time and started planning the meal. Once they were done with planning, the two went to cooking.

Nao was making vegan crepes while Umeko was making bacon and eggs. It wasn't long until they were done with the meal. He was happy they were done but at the same time disappointed. _I really hoped Roxanne would have come by and help. I guess there will be some changes because of Samuru._

After that, the two served the meals. Unlike before, there were only a few people in the cafeteria. It was notable that Asuka, Hana, Manon, and Samuru were missing. However, the two still set up the table like they would normally do.

As soon as they were done, the two sat down and started eating with the group. It was quiet. No one was speaking. The only time someone spoke was when Reyes told her report on the inventory. "Eri and Takashiro, thank you for adding the items on the third floor. It made it easier to check the floor. Nothing was missing. Manon helped me but went straight to her room when we were done."

_This is so uncomfortable. Is this really what Samuru and his group wanted? I wish everyone would get along just fine again. We were okay. Everything was fine. To me, everything was fine. _Nao could only eat as he wishes for things to return back to normal.

When everyone was done, Jitsunori and Mako volunteered to help in clearing the table and washing the dishes. Nao and Umeko were very thankful for this. "Thank you so much!" Umeko said. Mako quickly responded, "It is alright! We have always wanted to help you two for serving us. I think we should help out as well in any way we can."

After that, the two started doing their plan. "Let's crack that code!" Umeko said. Nao first suggested that they should get a notebook and a pencil from the storage room. "We should take note of the code and solve it in the library." Because of this, the two went off to the storage room.

The two were walking to the storage room when they saw Hana walking out of the storage room. _Why was she in there? What is she up to this time? _Remembering what she did to Eri, he decided to confront Hana. "Hana, we need to talk."

Hana stopped and said, "Need or want?"

"I am serious Hana." Nao replied.

"Whatever! You can talk to me later! I am busy! Gotta go! Bye!" Hana ran away before Nao could say another word. _Hana is getting out of control. For sure he is going to play some prank on someone else._

Umeko was curious about what she saw and asked, "What was that about?" Nao answered by telling her what Hana did last night. Umeko was surprised by Nao's story. "Really? If that is the case, we really need to talk to her. She might end up getting hurt if she plays a prank on the wrong person."

Nao agreed. However, seeing she was not there anymore, he decided to concentrate on their task first. The two went inside the room and took a notebook and a pencil. After that, they went to the third floor. It was tiring since it was a lot of steps.

"If I don't need anything from the floor, I will never climb upstairs." Umeko said. _Me too._

Eventually, they reached the computer lab. They went straight to open the computer no. 3. He clicked on the file and forgot it needed a password. Umeko quickly asked Nao what the password was. "What is the password Nao?" Nao quickly typed in the password.

The file was opened. "How did you know the password?" Umeko asked. He simply explained that it was on the screen of the computer. Umeko was satisfied with this answer. Then, Umeko copied the code carefully. After finishing, they went straight to the library.

Once they were in the library, Nao quickly shouted, "Monokuma! Help!" Suddenly, Monokuma appeared. He stood in front of them and said. "Shut up! It is a library!" Monokuma said. Nao quickly asked, "We need your help, can you give as a book for morse code?"

Monokuma paused for a moment. After a few seconds, he suddenly disappeared. "Where did Monokuma go?" Umeko asked. Out of nowhere, Monokuma quickly reappeared with a small book in his paws.

"Here! Use this!" Monokuma threw the book at Nao. Luckily, he was able to catch it. After that, Monokuma left the two alone. The two found a table and decided to crack the code there. The immediately looked at the symbols.

"What do you think is this?" Nao asked.

Umeko answered, "It probably must be a word." Nao agreed. They first looked at the symbols for punctuations and space. Immediately, they were able to decipher something. "The slashes are spaces. If that is the case, maybe this is not a word like we thought it would be." Nao said.

After that, the two continued to look. Seeing there was nothing other than spaces, they moved on to the alphabet. One by one, they scanned the code for letters and tried to match it with what they have. Unfortunately, nothing matched.

"This means it is not a word. None of this is equivalent to a letter." Nao commented.

The next thing they looked at was codes for numbers. Immediately, they were able to crack the first two symbols. "These are both zeroes." Nao said. After that, they were able to crack the third symbol. "This one means one." Umeko said. There was only one symbol left. They tried to match to the number two to five. Unfortunately, they were not a match. However, when they tried to compare to six, it was the same. "The last symbol is six. The code is 'zero zero one six'." Nao said.

"That is what this means? What are these numbers for? I don't get it." Umeko said as she looked at the numbers they got. _Hmmm, four digits. Do we have anything that needs four digits? _Suddenly, Nao stood and had an idea. He immediately told Umeko, "Follow me!" Nao ran while Umeko followed him.

Umeko had no idea where they were going. They went down to the first floor. Suddenly, Naos topped at one of the doors. Umeko quickly asked, "Why did we stop?" Nao looked at her and asked, "Do you remember this door?" He pointed at the door next to the front desk.

"What is so important about it? We could not even open it!" Umeko said.

Suddenly, Nao went to the keypad beside it. "We could not open it because it was locked and probably needed a four-digit password." Umeko quickly realized where Nao is going to. Nao then typed in the digits they discovered.

"Zero, zero, one, six." Nao recited as he typed in. All of a sudden, the door opened. "It worked!" Umeko shouted. After that, the two went inside to look. It was cramped but it was neatly organized. There were a dozen file cabinets. Instinctively, Nao and Umeko started looking at the files. They browsed each and every folder. Nao noticed something. _A folder contains all the student profiles of a class including their grades. _

As they continued searching, Umeko found something. "Nao! Look at this!" She said as she held a folder. Nao quickly put back what he was holding inside the cabinet where it came from and went to Umeko. Nao took a look at the files Umeko was holding. Immediately, he was perplexed by this.

"Manon Aida, Ultimate Cyclist…" Nao said as he read the first file inside the folder. They quickly browsed the folder and saw all of them in it. "Umeko Midori, Ultimate Environmentalist. According to this, I have a general weighted average of 93.7. What? How could this be? I never even attended a proper class here."

After that, Nao looked for his file. Finally, he found his file. "Nao Hisoka, Ultimate N.E.E.T. with a general weighted average of 98. How could I ever have gotten this grade?" Nao said.

Umeko looked at the folder. It says:

* * *

Class 1-A

Adviser: Prof. Kioshi Sadao

* * *

_We are students of class 1-A of this school. When did this happen? Who is this professor? Kioshi Sadao… _Umeko put out every single file on to the floor. She put out all of the files of the people she met in the school on the floor. However, she realized there was one more file inside the folder.

She put it out and gave it to Nao. "Do you know this guy?" Umeko asked. The file contains the following details:

Name: Isamu Hiroshi

Age: 18

Talent: Ultimate Prison Warden

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Straight

Nationality: Japanese

Birthday: November 3

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 142 lbs

GWA: 90.3

The file also contains a picture of him. The picture shows a man with black jet hair styled into a crew cut. His left eye was covered by a black eyepatch. However, seeing his right eye, he could say their eyes are monolid with long eyelashes. The color of his eyes was chocolate brown. He had a tanned skin tone and has a beauty mark right under the right eye. He was wearing a black turtleneck shirt that was skin tight. It showed that the guy had a muscular built. He was also wearing a black beret with a feather pin on it. The man was smiling. It looked like it was his first time to be taken a pic. That is how excited he looked like in the photo.

"Who is this guy? If we are supposed to be in the same 'class', why is he not here?" Umeko asked. Opening the door gave Nao more things to answer. _The mystery of this school and this game is getting bigger. I have so many questions I don't know how to answer._

The two were going to investigate more when the audio system suddenly turned on. The two put back everything they put out and went out of the room. They closed it and listened to Monokuma's announcement. "Twerps, report to the gymnasium, now!" Hearing this, the two went to the gymnasium.

Along the way, they met with the others. A lot of them were wondering what the announcement was for. Accidentally, Nao bumped into Norio who was walking to the gymnasium as well. "I am sorry about that." Norio looked at him and said, "Are you ready for the next motive?"

Nao was shocked by this question. _Motive? Is Monokuma going to give another motive? Please, no! _Norio continued walking and passed. Eventually, everyone made it to the gymnasium which was empty but now was noisy because of the chattering of the students.

"What could this be again?" Reyes asked.

"I hope it isn't anything too troubling." Mako replied.

_Knowing Monokuma and hearing Norio, I think our safest is going to be this is for another motive. _Nao was readying himself for anything Monokuma will throw at him. _I cannot let him manipulate me. I need to pull my own weight. There are too many problems already. I do not want to add any more._

All of a sudden, Monokuma appeared in front of the stage. Everyone quieted down as they looked at Monokuma. Monokuma only stood there for a while. After a few seconds, he let out a smile. "Are you guys excited?"

Jitsunori asked, "Excited for what?"

Monokuma quickly answer, "Excited for your new motive! Hahahaha!" Monokuma jumped up and down in happiness. However, unlike him, the remaining twelve were dreading this announcement. _Just like what Norio said, it is for the motives._

Monokuma composed himself and continued. "I know it must have been hard for you guys to be locked up here for a long time and not be able to see your loved ones for a while. As your principal, I want every one of you to be happy and not feel homesick. That is why I have decided to do this!"

Suddenly, a huge cabinet with metal plates for doors rose on stage. It was huge. It was definitely taller than Mako. It was notable that it was divided into sixteen parts and were labeled from one to sixteen. The group waited until the thing stopped rising. After that, Mako asked, "What is special about that?" Monokuma chuckled. He took out a remote and pressed it. "You will see! Let's start with you! Ichimako Watadzumi, you are compartment number 5!"

The metal plate numbered five came off. It revealed a transparent glass door. Inside the compartment were two brass keys on a grey string. Seeing this, Mako was silenced. Everyone looked at them as they stared at the keys. "How did you get those from my little sisters?" Mako asked.

Monokuma did not say anything and only giggled at him. "Let's move on to compartment number 9, Manon Aida!" Her compartment contains a pink t-shirt dress. Manon could only say, "Rina…"

After that, Monokuma saw Samuru and laughed. He hysterically laughed as he pointed at him. "Poor bastard! I should just open yours since it's empty!" Monokuma said as he opened compartment three. Samuru was obviously unbothered by this.

He looked at Monokuma and said, "Is that all you got?"

Monokuma did not pay attention to him and proceeded to open the others. One by one, Monokuma opened the compartments like he is in some kind of game show revealing certain objects that seemed significant to one of them. Eventually, there were only seven compartments left but there are only three of them who has not yet seen the contents of their compartment. Monokuma decided to open number twelve. "Umeko, are you ready to see yours?" Alarmed by this, Umeko watched as Monokuma unveils what's inside hers.

"My mom's pearl necklace…How did you get that?" Umeko asked.

After that, Monokuma looked at Nao and said, "I think I will open yours next. Yours is in compartment seven!" Nao watches as his compartment slowly sheds its metal plate. Eventually, it reveals a watch and an opened letter.

"Dad is supposed to be keeping that for me! How did you get that from him?" Nao shouted.

Monokuma then jumps off the stage before revealing the last compartment which belongs to Reyes. "Hello there! Are you excited to see yours?" Reyes did not say a word and only stared at the huge cabinet. "Welp, let's see your compartment. Compartment fourteen, what do you have for us?"

The metal plate was shed off. It fell to the ground with a loud thud making everyone flinch. She looked at her compartment only for her jaws to drop. Everyone clearly saw what it was inside. All eyes were on Reyes who was silent.

Inside of her compartment was a locket and an infamous mask of Sparkling Justice.

* * *

**That is it for this update! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this.**

**What do you think of the new motive?**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story if you like. The link is on my profile.**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	25. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 3

**Hi guys! Here is the next update! I hope you like it!**

* * *

Everyone was silent including Reyes. Nobody dared to say anything. No one knows how to respond to what everyone just saw. _A Sparkling Justice mask… Does that mean Reyes is Sparkling Justice? I can't believe this. _Like everyone else, he was waiting for Reyes' response.

Minutes have passed and Reyes still has not spoken a word. Breaking the silence, Monokuma giggled grabbing everyone's attention. "That's it for now! I hope you have fun with my motive. Upupupupupupu!" And after that, he vanished into thin air.

The twelve stood silent in the middle of the gymnasium. Everyone was waiting for Reyes to say something but it was taking too long. Some people's nerves are being tested. Reyes finally stopped looking at the floor and looked at everyone. She tried to say a word but she could not. She lost her confidence.

It was obviously getting on Samuru's nerves. He took a step forward. This sudden movement caught everyone's attention. He suddenly spoke up and said, "So, you are Sparkling Justice, the one I have been hunting down?"

Reyes looked at him. Finally, she started speaking. "Yes, I am-" She was suddenly cut off by Samuru. Samuru flung his ax towards Reyes. Luckily, Reyes was able to dodge it. People near Reyes quickly ran away from the scene. _This is Samuru's wrath._

Everyone kept their distance as they watched the two confront each other. Samuru grabbed his ax and said, "Are you ready for your execution?" _Is he planning to kill Reyes? Someone has to stop this. _No one dared to step in the middle of the feud and watched as things go down.

"Samuru, I never did anything wrong. I am not a bad guy!" Reyes tried to convince Samuru. However, it was obvious Samuru will not listen to her pleas. He continued to walk towards her with his ax ready to be swung.

Seeing this, Reyes drew out his epee. However, she still continued to raise her case. "I never killed anyone innocent. I only kill people who are bad. I am just like you!" Hearing this, Samuru was angered.

Samuru flung his ax towards Reyes. With her quick reflexes, Reyes was able to dodge the attack. The ax landed on one of the bleachers destroying it. Samuru picked up and was readying to attack again.

As he was walking towards her, he started speaking. "How dare you compare yourself to me. You are a criminal while I am an executioner. I respect due process." He then charges towards Reyes. Reyes was able to dodge again.

"I also respect due process. I believe in the law but there are people who get away with they do because of their power. That is where I come. I-" Samuru threw his ax again. Reyes was surprised by this. She was able to dodge but the ax was able to tear a hole on her skirt.

This did not stop Reyes from continuing. "I only go after bad guys. I only kill those who deserve it like the two bureaucrats I met here in Japan." Samuru suddenly stopped moving. He put down his ax and said, "What did those bureaucrats do to deserve their deaths?"

Reyes immediately answered, "They were funding terrorists. Those two were the reasons why a group of terrorists was almost able to attack my country." Samuru picked up his ax again and looked at Reyes.

"Your intentions are pure. However, it is clear to me that your ways are against the law. I am sorry but your crimes are unforgivable. You must pay for your crimes." Samur suddenly charged towards Reyes. Unlike last time, Reyes decided to face him head-on. She was no longer running away from the attacks.

They exchanged blows and slashes. However, neither one of them stopped. The battle continued to worsen. Samuru's right arm was cut. Reyes received a slash near her left ear. It was getting to the point that no one could bear to watch the fight anymore. _Someone needs to stop this. Nothing good will come out of this. Please someone stops this madness!_

The two were about to hit each other in the face when Norio suddenly appeared in between them. The two quickly stopped and backed away from him. _Norio? What is he doing down there? _Norio looked at the two and shook his head in disappointment.

"Go ahead! Don't mind me. Continue fighting!" Norio told the two.

Samuru was the first to say something. "When did you get close to us?"

Norio immediately replied, "Does it matter? You two were too busy killing each other to notice me. Go ahead and continue your fight!" He dared the two however neither one of them moved. Norio seemed to be unsatisfied with this.

"Go on! Continue fighting!" Norio screamed.

Reyes then said, "You might get hurt or even…killed."

"Does it matter?" Norio asked which shocked everyone. _I think I know what point Norio is trying to make._

"Of course it matters!" Samuru answered.

"Not really. From where I am standing, at the end of your battle, one of you will die. What is the difference between me dead and your opponent dead?" Norio asked. The two could not say a single word.

Norio continued to make his point. "This is what Monokuma wants. He wants one of us to kill someone. When someone dies, another trial will begin and I will have to make sure the killer gets caught and executed. Is that really what we want? Do we want another murder, trial, and execution?" The two stayed shut up.

"This is a killing game! Never forget that!" Norio was finished scolding the two.

After that, Samuru spoke. "I think this proves that Reyes can't be our leader. She is not trustworthy." Immediately, Reyes replied with, "You know what I think? This proves you can't be our leader. You are too emotional to make logical decisions."

The two quickly started arguing while Norio was still standing in between them. He had enough of this and shouted, "Shut up! For people who claim they are leader-like, you two are childish! I don't care who leads the group! You two need to get over your bullshit and work together. Working together is better than fighting for a position."

After that, Norio walked away from the two. Before he left the gymnasium, he told the others, "Stay level-headed unlike those two." Samuru rejoined Asuka and Manon and left the room afterward. Jitsunori and Mako went to her and was worried about her wounds.

"We need to get you to the clinic!" Jitsunori said.

Reyes was shocked by this. "Why are you two still talking to me? Aren't you both afraid of me?"

Mako immediately replied, "Of course not! We don't care if you are Sparkling Justice! We know you are kind and we believe you must have a reason for being Sparkling Justice. We choose to trust you because you are our friend. Never forget that." Reyes became teary-eyed after hearing this. After calming down, the three went to the clinic to treat Reyes' wounds.

There were only five remaining people left in the gymnasium. They were all still processing what happened. _What was the motive again? _A lot happened after Monokuma revealed the motive that he forgot what the motive was.

He looked at the stage again and instantly remembered what the motive was. _How did he take those from my father? I hope my father is safe. I hope Monokuma did not do anything to him. _He looked at the others to see they were also looking at the cabinet.

Hana was the first one to leave. She left silently without even looking at anyone. Eri and Takashiro soon followed. The two were obviously shaken by the motive. The only people remaining were Nao and Umeko.

Umeko was just standing looking at the cabinet. _She must be having a hard time processing it. _Nao waited for Umeko to leave. He did not want to leave her. Suddenly, Umeko went to the bleachers and sat. Nao soon followed.

Umeko covered her face. Immediately, she started crying. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her voice was becoming raspy from crying so much. Nao decided to sit beside her. He put his arm around her and let her lean on him. Umeko did so and cried for as long as she needed.

After a few minutes, Umeko stopped crying. She wiped her tears and composed herself. She took deep breaths before calming down. After that, she looked at Nao and smiled. "I look stupid, aren't I?" Umeko said.

"I don't think so." Nao answered.

"You are so kind to me. Why are you so kind to me?" Umeko replied.

Nao did not answer and let Umeko talk.

"It was my mom's pearl necklace. It was the first gift I ever gave her when I was still starting out as an idol. I bought the necklace because I knew how much she loves pearls. I thought it would have been the best 'thank you' gift for everything she has done for me." She was tearing up again.

She continued saying, "She always used it when we go out for special occasions. She said it was her most prized possession and will make sure nothing happens to it. But it is here for some reason and not with hers. If something happens to my parents, I don't know if I can take it. I really hope nothing happened to them. Please, I can't"

Nao continued consoling her. "You are a wonderful daughter. You love your parents so much. Your parents are lucky to have you."

"No, I am the one who is lucky to have wonderful parents." Umeko quickly answered.

Nao wanted to ask Umeko about her parents but he did not need to. Umeko, without being asked, started telling her life with her parents.

"When I was a kid, I would always get bullied because of how I looked." Umeko said. Nao was shocked by this. Nao looked at her with confusion. Umeko giggled and continued. "I was an ugly duckling. I did not have care about what I looked or how I dressed. I was too busy studying. You know how kids can be ruthless. Every day, I had to endure my bullies. I was called names. Kids played pranks on me.

There were really bad days that I would come home crying. I would hide in my closet and wallow away. My parents would always give me a bowl of soup after I cry and talk to me. They would remind me that those kids' opinions do not matter. I was able to love myself because of them."

Umeko looked at him and asked, "What about you? What compartment is yours?"

"Seven…" Nao answered.

She looked at the compartment and asked, "Whose watch is that?"

"My mom's" Nao answered.

"She has great taste. The watch is beautiful. It is rose gold. She must be one fashionable lady." Umeko commented.

"She is. She loves to dress to impress." Nao said.

"Ooohhh…If that is the case, we might get along quite well!" Umeko said.

"I think my mom would love you as my friend. I wish you two could meet." Nao said.

"Well, once we get out of here, why don't you bring me to your mother so we could meet?" Umeko said. Nao chuckled. _I really wish you two could meet. You two would get along quite fine._

Umeko then looked at the compartment and noticed there was a piece of paper as well. "Nao, what is that piece of paper?" Hearing this, Nao hesitated to answer. However, he eventually answered, "It is my mom's…suicide note."

Umeko was shocked to hear this. She hugged Nao and said, "I am so sorry! I did not know." Umeko felt sorry for bringing up his mother. The two just sat there quietly waiting for someone to speak. Eventually, Nao looked at Umeko and broke the silence.

"She has been appearing in my dreams ever since Ayumu's murder. That is the reason why I haven't been able to sleep well. Whenever I remember seeing her, I just want to forget and run away from it. I just want to be fine again."

Umeko grabbed his hand and said, "Don't worry, everything will be fine. We will be able to get through this."

"Thank you! You really are a great friend I can count on." Nao said. After this, the two went out of the gymnasium. Just like the rest of the group, they lived the rest of the day as they would normally do. People toured the building. Some did their duties. However, one thing was different. The group was definitely divided.

Nao ended the day with him lying on his bed filled with confusion. _Now that I know Reyes is Sparkling Justice, what should I do? Reyes has nothing but be kind to everyone. Still, it does not change the fact she is Sparkling Justice. However, does that automatically mean I should choose Samuru as my leader? For me, Reyes and Samuru are just the same. Samuru is just more open with what he does._

Eventually, Nao fell asleep.

* * *

It was pitch black. There was no noise but only silence as Nao stood clueless of where he is. He desperately searched for a glimmer of light but there was none. Breaking the silence was heavy breathing echoing wherever he is.

He started shouting for help. He was calling for anyone. He was hoping to hear a familiar voice. However, no one called back leaving him alone in the dark.

Getting tired of just standing around, he slowly sat down on the cold hard floor. Suddenly, a spotlight was turned on. He looked at where it was directed. Immediately, he saw the two people who were in the spotlight. They were Jitsunori and Reyes.

Reyes was shouting, "Nao! Come to us! We can help you!"

Seeing this, Nao stood up and was about to take a step when another spotlight was turned on. The light landed on Samuru.

Samuru was holding his ax. He quickly pointed it at Nao and said, "Don't! I can help you more! Come to me instead!" Nao became confused. He did not know who to choose or where to go. _Why can't they just share the same spotlight?_

Nao made one step when Samuru asked, "Where are you going? Are you going to me or to them?" Nao stopped where he was and only looked at the three.

Reyes turned to Samuru and said, "Just let him pick! Let him decide."

Samuru was angered by this. All of a sudden, he ran towards Reyes. Jitsunori got out of the spotlight and left Reyes alone. Now, it was only Reyes and Samuru who were in the spotlight.

Samuru swung his ax. Swiftly, Reyes was able to dodge this. The fight was long. Both were getting cuts and bruises. However, duel stopped when another spotlight. Under it was Norio who was looking at both of them with great disappointment.

Suddenly, the room lit up revealing everyone was standing behind Norio. He looked behind him and turned back to the two. "Look at who they are following."

* * *

"It is six o'clock! Wake up! Time to murder someone!" Monokuma shouted through the audio system. Nao was woken up by this. He quickly got up and sat on his bed. He took his tablet and opened Norio's file.

As he looked at Norio's files, he tried to remember his dream. _Norio can be an asshole but he is never wrong. He always made the best judgment when the group is in chaos. If only he can be sociable, maybe he could be a great leader._

After that, he took a shower, dressed up, and went out of his room. He went straight to the kitchen. _Umeko might be already in the kitchen. I should quickly get there and help her out._

He opened the door to the cafeteria. There, he saw Hana doing something to one of the chairs. As soon as Hana saw Nao enter, she quickly stopped and greeted him. "Good morning!" She walked away from the chair and went to Nao.

_She is up to something again. _Nao looked back at the chair. However, Hana stood near Nao to block his view. "Aren't you going to cook breakfast? Why don't you just go to the kitchen? Later, I can help with setting up the table!"

_What is she going to do this time? _He ignored Hana and went to the chair. Hana immediately followed. "Hey! Where are you going?" Hana asked.

Nao went to the chair and tried to see if there is anything wrong with it. He immediately noticed one of the legs of the chair. Its tip was cut off. If not inspected, it would seemingly look like one piece. He took it making the chair fall.

The loud thud echoed through the room. Nao looked at Hana while holding the tip. "Hana, what were you planning to do?" Nao asked. Hana simply smiled and said, "Duh! I was going to prank someone!"

Nao looked at Hana with disappointment. "Hana, this needs to stop."

Hana suddenly changed. She looked at Nao and said, "And why should I? People treat me like I am weak. Through this, I am showing to them I am powerful. I need people to never underestimate me. I am so much more than my small stature."

_It looks like she has some issues with being belittled. _Thinking of this, he decided to get to the root of the problem. "You have an issue with being looked down on." Nao blatantly said.

Hana immediately denied. "No, I don't have an issue with that. I just…I know what will happen if I just let people continue to look down on me."

"What do you mean?" Nao asked.

"I don't need to explain myself." Hana answered.

"Are you sure? I can just listen to you if you want." Nao replied.

Hana looked at Nao hesitantly. After a few seconds, she started telling her side.

"I know what belittling words can do to a person. I saw it through my mom. My mom is the famous singer Hiyoko Ongaku. Does her name ring any bell?" Hana asked. Nao only shook head to say no.

Hana continued. "I thought so. You did not even know who Umeko was. Anyway, my mom had lots of hits songs and most of them were written by me. However, I only started composing when I saw how my mom was when she flopped.

When she flopped, brand deals were canceled. People who she was friends with started treating her like a stranger. She was constantly on tv being ridiculed by talk shows. Producers were starting to question whether or not she should still make an album.

All of those slowly started to affect my mom. She changed. She was deteriorating in front of my eyes. All I could do was try to compose songs for her.

Seeing what happened to my mom, I knew I never want to be like that. I don't want to end up in her situation. I have to make sure people will not underestimate me. I have to make sure I won't be just stepped on for their own goals.

My mom was lucky that she has me and my dad. If she didn't, I don't know how she could have bounced back to her happier self. Here, I am alone. No one will help me like how I helped my mom. I have to make sure everyone knows I am alright and I am as powerful as they are." Hana stopped. Her eyes were tearing up.

Nao hugged her and consoled her.

Hana continued speaking, "I feel so lonely here. I feel like I don't have anyone to trust or depend on. I feel like I don't have a friend. If only Ayumu was alive…" Hana could not continue. Nao continued to console her.

After a few seconds of silence, Nao started talking. "Hana, you can trust me. You can treat me as your friend. You can turn to me feel not alone. It is not just me you can depend on. You can depend on Umeko as well. Did you know she was really worried about you when you locked yourself in your room?"

Hana looked at Nao and said, "Really?"

Nao nodded.

Hana wiped off her tears and said, "I will try to lessen my pranks if you promise me you will help me whenever I need you." _I think that is all I will be able to get her to promise._

Nao promised to her.

After that, Hana told Nao, "Your princess is waiting for you in the kitchen."

"Princess?" Nao asked.

"Umeko! Duh? Who else is your princess?" Hana replied.

Nao rolled his eyes and went to the kitchen. He opened it to find the place was empty. He looked back at Hana who was containing her laughter. Once she saw Nao's reaction, she let out her laugh.

"You told me Umeko was in here." Nao said.

"I was lying. Hahahahaha! You were really excited to go into the kitchen. Your face lit up. Then, the moment you didn't see her, you were so disappointed! Hahahahaha!" Hana said.

Suddenly, the door of the cafeteria opened. It was Umeko who entered the room. Hana looked at her. Then, she glanced at Nao playfully.

Umeko looked at Hana and said, "Nao was disappointed at what?" Umeko asked. Hana's smile grew.

"Did you overhear everything?" Hana asked.

"Not really, just that. What was he disappointed at?" Umeko asked.

Hana looked at Nao and said, "What were you disappointed at Nao?"

_I wasn't disappointed. Why would she use that word? _He looked at Umeko and said, "First, I was not disappointed." Hana chuckled.

Nao continued. "Second, I thought you were already here."

"Oh, I am so sorry! I woke up later than I thought I would." Umeko said. She walked towards Nao. The two smiled at each other. "Let's get to work!" Umeko said. Nao nodded.

Hana suddenly shouted, "Get a room!" The two were surprised and was suddenly awkward. Hana was laughing again. Before the two entered the kitchen, Hana said, "You two look so good together!"

The two were inside the kitchen. They already agreed to what they were going to cook. The two started cooking. While they were cooking, Nao decided to ask Umeko about something. "Umeko, between Reyes and Samuru, who do you want as your leader?"

Umeko quickly answered, "Reyes."

"Why?" Nao asked.

Umeko took a while before she answered. "I do not really see that much difference between Reyes and Samuru. Both kill people. According to them, they only kill people who deserve it. Both have a voice to lead people. The only difference is that Reyes is more approachable."

Nao stopped before continuing. "I was wondering about something. What if someone else leads us?"

"Who?" Umeko asked.

"What if Norio becomes our leader?" Nao asked.

Umeko paused before replying. "Why Norio? He doesn't scream 'leader' when I think of him."

"I know. He is not the sociable one but when I think about it, he always seems to suggest the best thing to do. During trials, he always has the answer. I just happen to be fast enough to understand him. Remember what he did yesterday. He was the only one brave enough to stop the two." Nao explained.

Umeko continued cooking. Nao went back to cooking as well thinking his idea was bad. Surprisingly, after a while, she replied, "After what you said, he does seem like a proper leader. The only thing that is bothering me about him is his absence. When he becomes a leader, he has to be always there to help."

_She does have a point. Well, it was just an idea. Honestly, even if Norio does not become a leader, I hope he starts interacting with us more. It will be better for the group to have another level-headed person._

The two were eventually cooking and was ready to serve the food. The two went out of the kitchen and was surprised to see what was happening in the cafeteria. _What happened? _Nao looked at Umeko. Both were confused about what to do.

There were two groups sitting at different tables. The people who were sitting where they usually sit are Jitsunori, Mako, and Reyes. In the other table were Asuka, Hana, and Samuru.

Umeko asked everyone, "Uhmmm…Where should we put the food?"

Asuka immediately answered, "Come sit with us!"

Umeko looked at the other table. Mako immediately spoke up. "You guys can choose wherever you want to sit. There is no judgment in our table."

Asuka quickly stood up and shouted, "Wow! Real low Mako! Are you saying we are fucking judgmental? Do you want me to kick you in the ass and knock your teeth out? Huh? Do you?"

Mako was going to reply but Jitsunori holds his arm stopping him from speaking.

Umeko looked at Nao for a suggestion on what to do. Nao suddenly said, "Umeko is going to set your tables first while I divide our food into two. Does that sound okay?"

Asuka shouted, "Of course! After that, sit with us, okay?"

Umeko quickly started setting up while Nao went back to the kitchen and made two family servings of all of the food they made. As soon as he was done, he went out of the kitchen. He first looked for Umeko. He immediately spotted her sitting with Reyes. _Of course._

He first served the food to Samuru's group. He was smiling at them. Without doing anything wrong, Asuka suddenly said, "Of course you are not going to sit with us since Umeko's over there. Whatever! It is your fucking loss, not ours." _What is happening with Roxanne?_

After that, he went to Reyes' group. He sat down beside Umeko. Mako, who was in front of him, said, "Hi! Thank you for the food!"

"No problem! It is kind of our duty." Nao said.

Umeko suddenly asked, "What happened?"

Jitsunori answered, "We just arrived and sat down where we normally would. All of a sudden, they stood up and sat at another table."

"Really? Why would they do that?" Nao asked.

"It is probably because of me." Reyes answered.

"Why are they like that? This is not what our group needs. Right now, we need to be a unit. We cannot be divided. This is exactly what Monokuma wants us to do." Umeko commented.

"There are some things we cannot control like people's opinions of me." Reyes said.

"I am sure they will realize you are a good person." Umeko comforted her. Reyes smile for the first time since Nao saw her today.

Eventually, everyone started eating. In the middle of their breakfast, Eri and Takashiro came. Asuka was the first to greet them. "Hey! Sit with us!" The two were confused as well with what is happening.

"Why should we sit with you?" Eri asked.

Asuka immediately answered, "Because you don't want Reyes to lead you!"

The two looked at Reyes who was clearly bothered by Asuka's response.

Eri continued to ask, "If we sit with you, who is the leader?"

"Samuru, duh!" Asuka answered.

Hana added, "It will be more fun with us."

Takashiro looked at Eri with confusion. He looked back at Asuka and said, "We don't want Samuru as our leader…"

Asuka was obviously surprised by this. "What? You would rather have a vigilante than Samuru?"

Eri answered, "I-i-it's not that. We don't want Reyes as our leader as well. Both of them are killers."

Reyes was disheartened hearing this. Eri continued with, "But we will sit with Reyes b-b-because the people whom we trust are sitting with her."

The two went to Reyes' group and sat down. "Hey!" Mako greeted them.

Takashiro greeted back using Tori-chan. "Hi! The food looks delicious! I should start eating before everything is gone!" The two started eating with everyone.

There were only two people who weren't in the room. It was Norio and Manon. Nao thought it would be natural for Norio to be missing. However, he was bothered about not seeing Manon. He looked at Jitsunori and asked, "Where is Manon?"

Jitsunori answered, "She is probably still asleep. She is more of a night owl than a morning person. Lately, she has been complaining about how much people are forcing her to wake up early." _She did tell me that. _

After that, Jitsunori and Mako did a report about their inventory. They did not find anything missing. After telling his group, Mako shouted, "Hey, other table! We did the inventory and nothing was missing! You're welcome!"

Everything was going fine. Samuru's group was the first to leave. Reyes' was about to leave when she fell off her chair. Jitsunori immediately helped Reyes to stand up. Nao looked at the chair Reyes was sitting on. He instantly noticed one of the legs of the chair. _This is Hana's fault._

"Are you okay?" Umeko asked.

"Yup! I am fine!" Reyes said.

Jitsunori commented, "Whoever did this is really childish. We should just let this go."

Mako was obviously angered by this. "This is too much! I know what you did outside as Sparkling Justice is bad but I was able to know you and you are kind and selfless. You are a great friend. Why can't they realize that?"

_I don't think that is the issue. The others who picked Samuru are closer to him. Picking a leader is about choosing who you can trust more. _Nao thought to himself as he watched everyone help Reyes.

After that, everyone went on to do their own things. Nao stayed with Umeko. The two went back to the file storage room. They were again looking through the files. They did not want to miss anything. After scanning everything, nothing was worth noting other than their class file. The two decided to bring the file with them.

As they got out, Reyes saw them. Reyes was shocked to see them come out of the room. "How did you open that room?" Reyes asked.

The two looked at each other. "Did we forget to tell people about this room?" Nao asked.

Reyes continued to look at each other with confusion. "When did you discover this room?"

Nao answered, "Yesterday before Monokuma revealed the motive."

Reyes asked, "Why did you not tell anyone?"

Umeko quickly replied, "We completely forgot to tell everyone about this room. Do you want to see what's inside?"

"Of course!" Reyes immediately answered.

Nao pressed in the password. "The password is 0016. It is the code we found in the computer lab." Nao said.

After that, the door opened. Reyes was shocked to see what was inside. As soon as Reyes stepped in, Umeko explained what the room was. "We think this is some sort of storage room of files. These cabinets are filled with folders containing class files, including ours."

Reyes quickly tried to search through the cabinets. "We already looked at each file but nothing was that worth noting except for this." Nao gave her their class file.

"This is our class file. On the folder says who our adviser supposed to be. He is Kioshi Sadao. Does the name ring any bell?" Nao asked. Reyes looked at him and shook her head. _I kind of expected that._

Reyes opened the folder and was shocked by the files. "When did we attend this school to already have grades? This is getting creepy."

"We don't have a clue. However, that is not just what caught our attention." Nao said. He pulled out from the folder the mystery student's file.

"There should be seventeen of us according to this folder. Here is the file of our missing classmate." Nao said.

Reyes read the file and said, "Isamu Hiroshi…I think I have heard of his name before."

Nao was surprised by this.

"How? Where did you hear his name?" Nao asked.

"He is quite famous in the military world. He is some kind of hero. However, that is all that I know about him." Reyes told the two.

"So this person is a war veteran?" Umeko asked.

"I think so. Honestly, I think if anyone who might know him, it might be Samuru. I presume he has some kind of ties with the military given the nature of his talent." Reyes answered. _We should talk to Samuru about this then. I hope our choosing of Reyes does not affect his answers. _

After that, the three went out of the room. Nao still had the folder with him. _I should bring this just in case I bump into him. _The three continued to talk about what they think of Isamu and their adviser.

In the middle of their conversation, Umeko left to visit the comfort room. Nao was left with Reyes. The two were quiet and did not know what to talk about. However, he was curious about Reyes' choice of becoming Sparkling Justice. Because of this, he decided to ask.

"Reyes, I hope you don't mind me asking but I wondering how a princess like you become a vigilante." Nao asked.

Reyes was hesitant to tell him but decided to answer him. "Honestly, this was all because of anger. I have told you right how I snuck off to join fencing, right?" Reyes asked.

"Yup! You already told me that part." Nao answered.

"Well, during my training, I was able to make a friend. His name was Diego. He was a really great fencer. Honestly, he is the only one who could match me in terms of skill. We would fight and laugh whenever someone wins, which is usually me.

We had so much fun. He had such a bright future ahead of him the fencing world. However, it was taken from him by a sore loser. During a tournament. He beat a royalty. The person was not able to accept his defeat and decided to get even with him.

Diego was poisoned through a bar of chocolate given by the person he defeated. A trial was held for Diego. However, the case was closed with his murderer getting away with it. It was partly my fault because I could not testify because I was hiding my identity. However, the biggest factor that helped get away with it was his title.

I could not take it. That person needed to get punished. If justice can't be obtained through the law, I will get it through my own hands. I snuck off once again with my epee and went to the royalty's castle. I went there to kill him.

I really wanted to kill him by my own hands but someone was able to beat me to it. The original Sparkling Justice killed him. The original Sparkling Justice was about to leave when I saw him. I stood in silence while he looked at me as well. Out of nowhere, he offered me two options. He said I should between getting killed or being trained by him as his protégé. I chose the latter.

He trained me until I was ready to do my missions alone. Eventually, he gave me his masks and gave me the title."

Nao did not know how to react to this. _The original Sparkling Justice must have seen something in her to offer her training. If I have to guess, it must have been her bloodlust. Her bloodlust must have been the same bloodlust he has for the people he killed._

After that, Umeko came back from the comfort room. "Hi! I am so sorry! I took so long!"

"Don't worry! We are not in a hurry." Reyes said.

"Where should we go?" Nao asked.

"Let's go back to the cafeteria and tell the people there about the room. Everyone should know about this." The three were about to walk towards the cafeteria when Samuru suddenly blocked their way.

"Samuru…What are you doing here?" Umeko asked. Samuru was alone. He did not have the people he was usually with.

He ignored Umeko and looked straight at Reyes. Reyes reciprocated it by looking back at him. The tension was growing. Nao and Umeko were starting to feel uncomfortable. _Whatever Samuru's business is with Reyes, I hope it does not end up with them fighting again._

* * *

**That is it for this update! Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**It has been far too long since a murder occurred. It looks like the next murder will be happening really soon. Who do you think will kick the bucket? Answer the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	26. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 4

**Hello guys! Are you ready for this update? I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Nao, Umeko, and Reyes were standing in the middle of the hallway. The three were about to walk to the cafeteria when they suddenly blocked by Samuru. The group could not get past Samuru. All they could do was look at Samuru and wait for him to let them pass.

It was already a few seconds. No one is speaking nor doing anything about their situation. Nao wants to ask Samuru to move out but he is scared he might say something wrong. _I don't want to cause another fight. This fighting really has to stop. How can we live like this?_

Reyes could not stand it anymore. She looked at Samuru and said, "Are you going to just stand in our way all day or are you going to let us pass?" Samuru quickly changed his posture. He dropped his shoulders and looked much more relax and less on guard. _That is strange…_

Nao looked at Umeko who was as equally confused as he was. The two let Reyes and Samuru have a conversation. They did not say anything.

Samuru finally replied, "I am sorry but I have to talk to you."

"Go ahead!" Reyes immediately replied.

Samuru looked at Nao and Umeko before continuing. "I was hoping we could talk about it in private."

"Wow, how civil of you! But, you can just tell whatever you have to say to me in front of Nao and Umeko." Reyes said.

Samuru continued looking at Nao and Umeko. It was obvious he was thinking about it. Eventually, he continued speaking. "Our group is too divided. It is starting to form unnecessary badgering and fighting. This is not what we need to survive this game."

Reyes immediately cut him off. "So, what are you trying to say?"

Samuru immediately responded with, "Someone has to give up their claim for leadership."

Reyes quickly replied, "I am not giving up my claim for leadership especially if I have to give it up for you to get."

"I knew you would say that." Samuru replied.

"If you knew I was going to say that, why did you bother come talking to me?" Reyes asked.

Samuru paused before continuing. "I think both of us will surrender our claim if we lose fairly."

Nao was confused by this. _Lose fairly? What is he trying to suggest? Does he want an election? Obviously, he will lose if that is what he is trying to suggest. _

"What are you trying to propose? Get to your point already. We have a lot of things to do." Reyes said.

Samuru answered, "I propose we duel it out for the position. I know both of us can make level-headed choices for the group. However, the leader must be strong enough to protect everyone, especially from Monokuma." _A duel? Are they going to fight to the death?_

"A match? What are the rules?" Reyes asked.

"We will fight until someone concedes or cannot fight anymore. Does that sound okay to you?" Samuru answered.

"I do not want to fight you to kill you. How can both of us make sure we will not kill the other person?" Reyes asked.

Samuru quickly replied, "Someone will act as a referee."

'Who?" Reyes asked.

"I suggest Manon be the referee." Samuru answered. _Manon… That kind of seems unfair to Reyes. Obviously, Manon is on Samuru's side._

Samuru continued, "She has experience with first aid. And, I believe she has great judgment. I think she will be fair as a referee." Reyes thought about it. Nao was against the idea. He looked at Umeko and it was obvious she does not like the idea.

He went closer to Umeko and whispered, "What do you think?"

Umeko replied, "I don't like this. In the end, both of them are for sure to get hurt. Do they really need to hurt each other for this? Is it really worth it?"

Nao turned back to Reyes and Samuru. Reyes finally replied with, "No. Unless you find another referee, I won't agree with this."

"What? I am offering you a fair solution. The group needs to have a leader, one person to follow. Or else, we will fall apart into Monokuma's hands. We cannot afford that!" Samuru said.

Nao thought about what Samuru said. _He is right. We need a person to lead us as soon as possible. Being divided is going to be our downfall. As much as I hate Samuru's suggestion, it is I think what we need right now, a deciding factor._

Nao thought of a solution. He suddenly had an idea. "Can I suggest something?" Nao said.

Reyes and Samuru looked at him. "What is it?" Samuru asked.

"I don't like the fight but I agree with Samuru. We need a leader urgently. That is the only reason why I am suggesting this. What if Norio becomes the referee? For sure he will not be biased and I think everyone trusts his judgment." Nao suggested.

Umeko looked at him with confusion.

Reyes replied, "If you can get Norio as the referee, I will gladly take the challenge. Until then, my answer is no." After that, Samuru let the three go.

Umeko quickly asked Reyes, "Are you really up for the challenge?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, Samuru is right. We need one leader and we need to make it clear to everyone who it is. A duel will be perfect. The only thing I disapprove of is Manon being the referee. She might be biased with her judgment." Reyes answered.

"I think I should tell Norio about this right away." Nao told the two.

"Go tell him so we could get this over with." Reyes said. After that, Nao handed the class folder to Umeko and left the two. He immediately went to Norio's room. As soon as he reached the room, he knocked on it. "Norio, it's me, Nao. I need to talk to you!"

After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened. Norio stepped out of his room to talk to Nao. "What do you need from me?" Norio asked.

"We need you to do something." Nao said.

"Who is we?" Norio asked.

"Me, Reyes, and Samuru." Nao answered.

"That is unexpected. What is it?" Norio asked.

Nao explained what had happened earlier. He told Norio that they needed him as a referee. After finishing, Norio thought about it for a while. As he was waiting for Norio's response, Nao was feeling nervous. _I hope I was able to convince him to do this._

Finally, Norio answered. "I understand the urgency but…"

Nao was waiting for Norio to continue. "But what?" Nao asked.

"But, is there no other way for them to deal with this?" Norio asked.

"I know what you mean. Trust me, I don't fully agree with this but things might get worse if we just let this continue. Roxanne is getting pretty hostile. Hana is redirecting her issues to our group. Mako is starting to become confrontational. If you can think of anything better, we are all ears for it." Nao answered.

Norio continued to think about it. Eventually, Norio came up with a conclusion. "Fine, I will do it. However, I have one condition." Norio said.

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"Have Manon be ready with a first aid kit. So that after the battle, people will be treated immediately." Norio said.

Nao was happy to hear this. "Thank you! I should tell everyone about this." Nao left went back to the cafeteria. He immediately went to Reyes and Samuru and told them the good news. After that, Samuru told Nao to tell Manon about the first aid.

Nao immediately went to Manon's room. According to Samuru, Manon was still asleep. He was scared to knock on Manon's room because he knows how grumpy Manon could be when deprived of sleep. He gently knocked on her door and said, "Manon, it is me, Nao. I need to talk to you about something urgent."

It took a few minutes before the door opened. "What? I was sleeping!" Manon greeted him.

Nao immediately explained what was going to happen. After understanding what was wanted from her, she immediately slammed the door close. _I hope she agreed with the plan. I hope she agrees with it._

Nao went back to the cafeteria. He was just in time to see Samuru announce what was going to happen. He stood on one of the tables to get everyone's attention. "People, listen. I have important news. Reyes and I will be dueling it out in the gymnasium tomorrow after lunch for leadership. Whoever wins becomes the group's leader. Both of us have agreed to it. Norio will be the referee while Manon will be on stand by with a first aid kit. That is all, thank you for your time."

Nao was standing where Reyes' group are sitting. Jitsunori immediately turned to Reyes and said, "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes! This fighting needs to stop." Reyes answered.

"So, this will be the fight of all fights?" Mako asked.

Reyes nodded her head. "After lunch, I will start preparing for the battle. I will be practicing in the gymnasium. If you want to join me, you can."

"Of course we will! We will bring you snacks, water, and towel. Does that sound okay?" Mako said. Reyes smiled hearing this. _They really are great friends. I really hope nothing happens to break their bond._

After that, they went on. Everyone still ate in two different groups. The division was still present. It was mostly quiet except when Asuka would make snarky comments directed to the other group. Mako would be offended and tempted to retaliate but they would always be stopped by Jitsunori.

Nao, along with Umeko, Jitsunori, and Mako, watched Reyes prepare for her big fight tomorrow. She made sure she was swift and mastered moves that she can use. She sharpened her sword. Her best friends were consistently supportive giving her water and food when she needed it.

_I really hope Reyes wins._

* * *

The day came for the duel. It was already after lunch. Everyone was readying for the upcoming match. Samuru's group left the cafeteria first. Reyes' group stayed a little while longer. Everyone was looking at Reyes.

"Are you ready?" Jitsunori asked.

"I am…" Reyes answered.

She looked at everyone. Suddenly, her face turned red. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

Mako answered, "Looking at you like what?"

"Nevermind. I am just starting to become so nervous. I just need to calm down." Reyes said.

"You can do it Reyes! I-I-I know you can!" Eri cheered her on.

Reyes was touched by this. "Thank you! I will win this for you guys! We need to win!" She cheered. This raised everyone's morale. _This is why I picked Reyes. She can make people filled with hope. She is that personable._

The group was about to leave. Nao stood up and tried to find his tablet. He patted his pants. _Where is my tablet? My tablet is missing! _Nao was starting to panic. Reyes saw this and asked him, "Is everything alright, Nao?"

Nao answered, "I don't know where my tablet is."

"Oh no! Where did you last go?" Mako asked.

"I cooked lunch. Other than that, I was in my room." Nao answered. Because of that, Nao went first to the kitchen with Umeko. The two looked everywhere but they could not find his tablet.

"Nao, it is not here. I think we should check your room as well. Maybe you just left it there." Umeko suggested. Because of this, the two decided to go to Nao's room. They told the others to go on while they go to his room.

The two eventually reached his room. Nao opened the door and went inside. He immediately went to his bed while Umeko went to his bathroom. Unfortunately, Nao could not find it near his bed. However, Umeko found it. "Nao, it is in here!" She shouted.

Nao quickly went to the bathroom. It was near the sink. "Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if this went missing!" Umeko gave the tablet back to Nao. The two were about to leave the room when Nao noticed something.

There was a piece of folded paper near his door. _That wasn't there when I left. _Nao picked it up and opened it. It was a note. It says:

Meet me in the chemistry lab around midnight tonight. I need to tell you something.

Umeko read it as well. She was as confused as Nao. "What is this Nao?" She asked.

"I don't know. This was not here when I left." Nao answered.

"We should do something about this." Umeko said.

"I know." Nao answered. He thought it might be a trap. However, he knew that there is a person like Rei in their group. _It might be someone who knows about what is happening to us. What should I do? _Nao looked at Umeko with confusion.

"I think we should tell Reyes about this." Umeko told this.

"I think that is the best thing we could do right now. But, we should tell her about this after her fight so that she is focused." Nao said.

Umeko agreed to this. Nao and Umeko went out of the room with the note. They went straight to the gymnasium. Eventually, they reached the gymnasium. The two immediately looked for their group. They saw their group sitting in the bleachers. They went straight there.

They sat down beside Eri and Takashiro. "D-d-did you find your tablet?" Eri asked.

"Yup!" Nao said as he showed Eri his tablet.

"Good!" Takashiro said.

"What has happened so far?" Umeko asked.

"Nothing so far. The other group is not yet here." Takashiro answered.

"That's weird. Shouldn't they be here already? They were the first ones to leave the cafeteria." Umeko said.

Suddenly, the door of the gymnasium opened. Samuru's group, along with Norio, has entered the gymnasium. Norio went straight to the middle of the gymnasium with Samuru and Manon who was holding a first aid kit. The others went to the other side of the bleachers away from Reyes' group.

Nao immediately noticed something. _Where is Hana? _He wanted to get up and ask Asuka. However, Norio suddenly shouted, "Reyes, it is time. Please come down."

Reyes went to the middle of the gymnasium. She stood in front of Samuru. Out of nowhere, she ripped her dress to reveal her fencing outfit. She grabbed here epee and stood with confidence.

Samuru, on the other hand, was calmly standing with his ax in his hands. He eyed at Reyes with his chin up. Just like Reyes, he was oozing confidence.

_It looks like we are in for a match. _Norio started talking. "Whoever wins this fight will become the group's leader. The match will only stop when a person concedes defeat or cannot battle anymore. I will decide when to stop the match. Manon will be ready to patch you guys up when the match is over. Do you both understand?"

The two nodded. Norio took stepped away from the two. When was already far enough from them, he shouted. "The fight shall start in three, two, one…begin!"

The immediately started going at it at each other. Reyes was obviously more nimble than Samuru. However, it was obvious Samuru's attacks are much more powerful. Samuru swung his ax in random motion. It would hit and crack the floor. It was able to cut Reyes but it was nothing serious.

Reyes is able to dodge most of Samuru's attacks. She was light on her feet. She would be able to cut and stab Samuru in different places. It would surprise Samuru whenever she would land an attack. However, just like Reyes' injuries, they were nothing serious.

It was obvious the two were having a hard time fighting each other. Both of them were breathing heavily from exhaustion. Sweat was dripping on their faces. However, nothing stopped them from fighting with all of their might.

In between their fight, Samuru shouted, "Are you giving up?"

Reyes shouted back, "Not a chance!"

Samuru suddenly charged at Reyes. Reyes was able to defend herself. The two continued to try land a cut or blow. However, both of them were too strong to fall from their opponent's attack. The two at this point were randomly attacking each other.

_This is getting scary. The two are desperate to win. They are surely planning on something. _The two continued to go at each other. Reyes and Samuru were so close to each other. Samuru swung his ax to hit Reyes' face. Reyes was able to dodge it. However, she did not expect Samuru's next move.

Samuru took the hilt of his ax and used it to hit Reyes in the stomach. It sent her flying near the bleachers. Samuru looked at Norio. Norio did not say anything. This meant the fight was still continuing.

_What? The match needs to stop! Reyes can't fight anymore! It is obvious! _Reyes was not moving from where she landed. Everyone who was supporting Reyes was getting nervous for her.

"Reyes! Stand up! Please stand up!" Jitsunori tearfully shouted.

Samuru was walking towards Reyes. He stopped in front of her and said, "You are a worthy opponent. I am so sorry that it has to end like this." Samuru raised his ax ready to swing. He was readying to deal his final blow when all of a sudden, Reyes stabbed his arm. This made Samuru let go of his ax. He dropped it on the floor. After that, Reyes jumped on the back of Samuru. She put her epee on his neck. This shocked everyone.

Reyes whispered to Samuru, "It is over and you know it."

Samuru looked at Reyes. After that, he glanced at his ax that was on the floor. He looked back at Norio. He sighed and said, "I surrender!" Everyone in Reyes' group jumped with joy.

"Reyes won! Reyes won!" Mako shouted.

Reyes jumped off of Samuru's back. Immediately, Manon went to them. Manon patched up Samuru first. She bandaged his stab wound and put band-aids on his cuts. Next, she attended to Reyes. Reyes only had minor cuts and was easily patched up.

After that, Reyes ran to her group. "We did it! We really did it! Thank you guys for supporting me!" She started tearing up. She continued as she cries. "I was really afraid that you guys, my friends, will stop talking to me when you find out I am Sparkling Justice. I really thought everyone turn their backs on me. That is why I am so afraid to tell everyone about it. I…I…I am just thankful to even have you guys supporting me!"

Jitsunori hugged her. "We are friends! Of course! We will support you 'til the end."

After that, the group stopped. Samuru, along with Asuka and Manon, went up to her and said, "Congrats! You are the official leader of the group!" He put out his right and Reyes shook it.

"Sorry for all of the mean things I said by the way! I was so carried away by everything." Asuka apologized. Everyone accepted it. Samuru's group was once again the first to leave. Reyes' group then followed.

Nao was going to leave with the others when he noticed Norio sitting alone on the bleachers. He decided to stay to talk to him. The only people left in the gymnasium were Nao and Norio. Nao sat beside Norio who was deep in his thoughts. Nao decided to snap him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, are you alright?" Nao asked.

Norio looked at him and said, "Why wouldn't I?"

"You seem to be thinking about something." Nao replied.

Norio suddenly asked, "Do you want to know my opinion on this whole fight?"

Nao was surprised by this. _Is he opening up to me? _Nao nodded his head. Norio started speaking. "Even though we should not be fighting, I was really thankful for it." _Thankful? Why?_

"I know you are thinking 'Why is he thankful for this chaos?'. The reason is it distracted people from the motive Monokuma gave us. Did you notice that no one talked about the motive that much after it was revealed?" Norio asked. _When I think about it, I kinda forgot Monokuma already revealed to us a motive._

"Now that it is over, people's focus will be directed to something else, possibly the motive. However, I don't see anyone committing a murder now unless they have been wanting to for a long while." Norio continued.

"If a murder occurs, you think it has been planned for quite a long time." Nao said.

"Yes. But, I don't see anyone showing any signs of wanting to kill someone." Norio said.

"That is good to hear!" Nao said.

Norio looked at him and said, "Just be on guard all the time. If I were planning a murder, I would plan to kill you or me because that is how useful we are in trials." _Right, I can't forget what situation we are in._

After that, the two stood up from where they were sitting. Nao invited to Norio to join them for dinner. However, Norio declined and went straight to his room. On the other hand, Nao went to the cafeteria where everyone was there, including Hana.

The group was finally sitting in one table again. _I guess we have united again. _He sat down beside Umeko. The group was talking about the battle. They were telling Hana what happened. Hana was really interested in how things went down.

"You won because of a great fake-out!" Hana said.

"It was something like that." Reyes said.

Mako turned to her and said, "It was really convincing. We were so scared for you!"

"I know. I could hear your screams." Reyes replied.

"Oh right, you weren't knocked unconscious." Mako said.

Suddenly, the topic shifted. Mako turned to Hana and said, "Where were you? Why were you missing?" _I was going to ask her that as well. I really want to know what she was doing during Reyes and Samuru's battle. _

Hana smiled and said, "Look for something under your table. I put something under one of the tables. Nao quickly looked for something. However, there was nothing under his chair. "There is nothing under mine." Nao shouted.

Everyone else continued looking under their chairs. Eventually, someone shouted, "I found something!" It was Asuka. Hana smiled hearing this. "Why don't you grab it? Show it to everyone!" Hana suggested before giggling.

Asuka did as she was told. She grabbed it. All of a sudden she started shouting, "Help! I can't get my fucking hands off of it!" As soon as Asuka shouted, Hana started laughing hysterically. Asuka was angered by this.

Asuka looked at Hana and said, "What is this? What did you do you bitch?"

"It is a super sticky slime that I made in the chem lab!" Hana said.

"Is this the reason why you were gone?" Umeko asked.

"Yup! I needed to make the slime within five hours." Hana explained.

"How the hell do I get unstuck? Bitch! Fucking undo this shit right now!" Asuka said.

"No!" Hana immediately said.

"What?" Asuka yelled.

"Just kidding, here!" Hana gave a vial filled with a solution.

"What am I going to do with this?" Asuka asked.

"Pour it on the slime dummy!" Hana said.

Asuka poured it. The slime suddenly evaporated living nothing but smoke. Asuka was free from the slime. She stood up and looked at Hana. "Are you planning to do more pranks?" Asuka asked.

Hana answered, "No! That is the last of my pranks. That is why I made sure my last prank would guarantee a hysterical reaction."

Asuka was going to shout some more at Hana when her stomach grumbled. Hana immediately commented, "Looks like someone is hungry." She smiled at Asuka teasing her. Asuka backed down and sat down on her chair. This made Nao and Umeko head straight to the kitchen.

The two quickly cooked something simple. They decided to cook chicken and stir-fried vegetables. They decided not to make any more dessert. Eventually, they were finished cooking. They set up the table and served the food.

Everyone was enjoying the meal and was having fun. People were laughing and telling each other stories. It was just like before any murder happened. Everyone was trying to live with what they have. Even though they are in their current situation, Nao was happy seeing everyone with smiles. _I wish this does not end. _

Eventually, people finished eating. The first to finish was Manon. It was quarter to seven when Manon decided to go back to her to go to sleep. "I woke up too early today so I am going to make up for it by sleeping. Don't you dare wake me up for something idiotic!" She left the group.

People started to go with their own groups. Samuru was with Asuka in the corner. Eri and Takashiro, as usual, were playing together. However, this time, they have Hana with them. Umeko and Mako decided to clean the dishes. This left Jitsunori, Reyes, and Nao together.

Nao glanced at everyone before talking to them. "Guys, I have to tell you something."

It caught Reyes' attention. Reyes asked, "What is it?"

"When Umeko and I were looking for my tablet, we found this in my bedroom near my door. It was probably slipped in. Here." Nao gave Reyes the note. After reading the note, Reyes was worried about Nao.

"Did you see anyone slip this?" Reyes asked.

"No…" Nao answered.

"Don't go to the chemistry lab tonight. Let me handle this." Reyes said.

"What are you going to do?" Nao asked.

"This is a fishy note. I will investigate it." Reyes said.

"Are you sure?" Nao asked.

"Trust me, I am your leader after all." Reyes said.

Jitsunori added, "You saw her fight earlier, right? If it is someone dangerous, I am pretty sure she can handle it."

Hearing this, Nao felt confident. He has someone to rely on. _I really am lucky to have Reyes by me. I don't know what I will do without them. _He looked at them and smiled. After a few minutes, people started leaving the room. Eri and Takashiro were going to sleep. Hana stayed a little longer with Asuka and Samuru. Eventually, the three went away to go to sleep as well. Reyes also said her goodbyes to Nao and the others since she was going to bed.

The only people left were Jitsunori, Mako, and Umeko. Umeko was sitting with Nao. Nao was deep in thoughts because of the note. _What could be the intention of the person who made the note? _Umeko noticed this and decided to help him snap out of it.

She snapped her fingers in front of Nao and said, "Hey! Earth to Nao!"

Nao snapped back into reality. He looked at Umeko and said, "I am so sorry! I am really worried about the note."

Umeko said, "Of course you are! Did you tell Reyes about this?"

"Yup! She said she will take care of it." Nao answered.

"If that is the case, just relax. She will definitely take care of it." Umeko reassured Nao.

After that, Nao decided to go back to his room. He lied down on his bed and trying to relax a bit, just like what Umeko told him to do. He looked at the ceiling and tried to clear his mind and fall asleep. Eventually, he was able to fall asleep.

* * *

It was one o'clock in the morning. Nao was woken up by his urge to pee. He got up and went to his bathroom. After that, he went back to his bed. He looked at his tablet to check what time it was already. Suddenly, he remembered the note he received. _I wonder what is happening right now in the chemistry lab._

Even though he was sleepy, he decided to get off his bed. He took his tablet with him and went to the chemistry lab. He knew Reyes would take care of it but his curiosity would not let him just sit still. Quietly, he walked in the hallways to the laboratory.

Walking up the flight of stairs woke him up. It made him put in more energy in every step he made. By the time he was on the third floor, he was fully awake. _Time to take a look at the laboratory. _

He walked silently to the door of the laboratory. He leaned to it carefully listened to whatever was going inside the lab. _Why is it quiet? _He was shocked to hear no noise. He was starting to feel suspicious about the room. He put his hand on the door and slowly slid it to open it.

Once he fully opened it, he regretted waking up to take a look at the room. It was too much for him to handle. He stopped looking at the room and knelt to the ground and almost puked. _What happened! That was disgusting!_

He took his time to regain his composure. He looked at the room again. He was hoping what he had seen was just a hallucination. He wished it was not real. But it was. It was too messy, too bloody, to deny it was not real.

_Why! Who would do this? _Nao cannot believe he was seeing. Nao suddenly ran down to the first floor and to their quarters. _I have to tell everyone about this. I don't want to do this. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news. I really don't! Why! Why did this have to happen? Because of this, I have to tell everyone about this bloody crime scene. _Nao saw the bloody corpses of Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz, the Ultimate Fencer, and Jitsunori Setsunosuke, the Ultimate Hairstylist.

* * *

**Killing Two Birds With One Sword (Daily Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 10**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 6**

* * *

**That is it for this update! Are you shocked by who the victims are for this chapter? I want to say thank you to NSPunny for sending me Reyes and RioA for sending me Jitsunori! I really had writing with your characters! I hope I gave them justice in how I portrayed them. And, thank you for your support!**

**Now that we have our victims, who do you think killed them? You can vote on the poll in my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	27. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 5

**Everything you need to know to solve the murder is in this chapter!**

**I hope you will enjoy reading!**

* * *

Nao ran as fast as he can to reach their quarters. He almost slipped on the stairs but he did not care. All he could think about was the crime scene. _I can't imagine how people will react. Mako will definitely be devastated. Both their lover and best friend are gone. How can I say such to him, to everyone? We were so happy earlier. The fighting was over and then this happened._

He rushed. Eventually, he made it. The person he went to wake up was Umeko. He vehemently knocked on Umeko's door. "Umeko! Wake up! Please wake up! It is an emergency!" After a few seconds, Umeko opened her door.

It was obvious to Nao that he had just woken her up. She looked at Nao with confusion. "What is happening?" Umeko asked.

Nao hesitantly answered, "Another murder…" Nao could not finish his sentence. However, it was enough for Umeko to understand. Disbelief was written all over her face. Her hands trembled with fear. "Where?"

"In the chemistry laboratory…Reyes and Jitsunori…" Nao answered.

Umeko was still processing everything. He left Umeko to wake up everyone else. After a while, Umeko helped in. Nao took care of the boys while Umeko dealt with the girls. The girls were easier to wake up than the boys except for Manon.

All of the girls were awake except for Manon. Umeko was repeatedly pounding on her door. "Manon, it is an emergency! Please wake up!"

Asuka was starting to get bothered by everything that was happening. She helped Umeko out by kicking over and over again on Manon's door. "Manon! We are not stopping until you open up the fucking door! Bitch, it is not the time to play hard to get!" Asuka shouted.

After a while, Manon opened her door with her hair all messy. She was definitely in a bad mood for being woken up. "What the fuck is your deal?" Manon shouted.

"Bitch! It is an emergency!" Asuka said.

"What's the emergency?" Manon grumpily asked,

Asuka turned to Umeko and asked, "What is the emergency Umeko?"

Umeko could not answer. All she could do was look at Nao who was waking up the boys. The girls were left unanswered by Umeko.

Nao has successfully woken up everyone except for one, Mako. He was standing in front of Mako's door. It was hard for him to wake him up. _What am I going to say? Should I even say anything and just let them see it for themself?_

After a while, Nao finally decided to knock on Mako's door. "Mako! It's Nao. Please open the door." It did not take a while for Mako to open his door. They looked at Nao with confusion. _I can't do this to Mako._

"Hey Nao! Is there a problem?" Mako asked.

Nao hesitantly answered, 'Yes, there is…"

"We should wake up Reyes and Jitsunori. They might know what to do." Mako suggested.

Nao looked at Mako and sadly said, "There is no need."

After that, he looked at everyone. Everyone was awake. He immediately led the group to the laboratory. People were starting to feel anxious about it. "Uhmmmm…Where are we going?" Eri asked.

Umeko, who was beside her, answered, "We're going to the chemical laboratory."

Hana was becoming annoyed. She was looking around and said, "Everyone is in their sleeping outfit and no one is telling me what the actual fuck is happening! Where are Reyes and Jitsunori anyway?"

Nao did not answer. He just quietly led the group to the chemical laboratory. Once they were in front of the room, Nao hesitantly opened the door. Slowly, the bloody crime scene was revealed to everyone. At first, was only blood they saw. Once the door was fully opened, it was revealed to them the bloody corpse of Reyes and Jitsunori.

Suddenly, an announcement by Monokuma was made. "Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our school trial!" Monokuma quickly turned off the audio system.

Everyone was silent. Nobody could believe what they were seeing. Reyes' face was burnt while her epee was sticking out of Jitsunori's face. Mako slowly walked towards Jitsunori. They knelt beside him and tried to touch him. However, their hands trembled and their lips quivered in sadness and disbelief.

"No…This can't be real…Jitsunori, wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Mako screamed at the top of their lungs.

Umeko went to their side. She tried to console them. "Mako, let's calm down. We need to investigate."

Mako then turned to Umeko and asked, "Did you do this?"

Umeko was surprised by this. "Of course not."

He looked at the others and asked, "Who did this? Who could kill someone so brutally? A sword in his face? He did not deserve this! They did not deserve this! They were so kind to us! Why?" Mako pointed at Jitsunori and Reyes.

_Whoever did this is heartless! This brutal murder yet. And, there are two victims this time._

Nao looked at everyone. As he looked around, Norio caught his attention. Norio, who was standing behind the group, was making his way to the front. He looked at everyone and said, "This is no time for just standing around. We need to start investigating. Or else, we will run out of time."

_That's right. We have another trial to prepare for. I just wish we could just stop killing each other. _Norio continued, "We should investigate by pair. Nao and Umeko, Eri and Takashiro, Asuka and Samuru, Hana and Mako, and me and Manon. Does anyone have a complaint about their pair?"

Everyone was silent. "Good! Let's get to work!" Norio said. After that, Nao went to Umeko who was still beside Mako.

"Hey, let's start investigating." Nao told Umeko. Umeko left Mako with Hana.

Before they start investigating, Umeko asked, "How did you discover this?"

Nao answered, "I woke up from my sleep. Then, I was curious to see what was happening in the laboratory. I decided to check it out and this is what I saw."

"If you never checked this room out, no one would have discovered this tonight." Umeko said.

In the middle of their conversation, their tablet rang. The two checked it out. It was a new folder named "Case #3: Jitsunori Setsunosuke and Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz". The two opened it and saw their first two facts of the case.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #3**

**The first victim is Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz. The estimated time of her death was 12:06 am. The victim died from a stab wound on her back.**

* * *

**Fact #2: Autopsy Report #4**

**The second victim is Jitsunori Setsunosuke. The estimated time of his death was 12:31 am. The victim died from a stab wound on his head.**

* * *

_Reyes died first before Jitsunori. Interesting… _Nao looked at Umeko who was done reading the facts. "We should start investigating. Let's start with Reyes." Umeko suggested.

The two went to Reyes' body. It was positioned like she was sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. The first thing noticeable about Reyes was her face. _What happened to her face? It is full of splotches. _Reyes' face had dark splotches, especially around her eyes.

* * *

**Fact #3: Dark Splotches**

**Reyes' face was covered with dark splotches. Most of the splotches were around her eyes.**

* * *

Nao tried to touch it. As he touched it with his right index finger, it stung the tip of his finger.

"Ouch! What was that?" Nao said as he pulled his finger away from Reyes. He looked at Reyes' face. Nao observed something. "Her face is wet and I bet that is not water." Nao told Umeko. Nao noticed the yellowish liquid on her face.

* * *

**Fact #4: Wet Face**

**Reyes' face was wet. However, it is not water that is drenched on her face.**

* * *

"That is weird. I wonder what it could be?" Umeko said.

After that, they continued to look at Reyes' body. Umeko immediately spotted something. "Nao, look at her hair. Is that glitter. What is that?" Nao looked at it and saw what looks like to be tiny shards of glass. The shards were mostly on her scalp.

"How did these get here?" Nao asked.

* * *

**Fact #5: Glass Shards**

**Reyes' hair was covered in shards of glass.**

* * *

_What a random place to have shards of glass. _After finding nothing worth noting anymore, Nao decided to turn Reyes' body over. "What are you doing?" Umeko.

"We need to look at what has happened on her back. It said on her autopsy report that she was stabbed in the back. We need to check it." Nao said. Umeko understood and followed Nao's lead. The two quickly found where Reyes' wound was.

"Wow! That is deep. That must have been painful." Umeko said as she pointed at Reyes' wound. The wound was just below her left shoulder blade. _The person must have been really eager to kill her. The sword was aimed right at her heart._

* * *

**Fact #6: Reyes' Stab Wound**

**Reyes has a stab wound on her back below her left shoulder blade. It was deep and aimed right at her heart.**

* * *

After that, there was nothing left to discover on Reyes' body. The two decided to move on to Jitsunori's body. Beside Jitsunori were Mako and Hana. Hana looks frustrated. She was clearly angry at Mako. When Nao and Umeko approached Jitsunori's body, they overheard the conversation of the two.

"Mako! We need to investigate! Get up already!" Hana shouted. Mako would not move and was completely silent. Sadness was painted over his face. Nao and Umeko tried to help first diffuse the situation.

"Hi guys! Is everything alright?" Umeko asked.

Hana immediately answered, "No! Mako would not get up! I can't investigate like this!"

Nao tried to talk to Mako. "Hey, are you up to investigate?" Mako was dead silent. He was just staring at the wall. _Mako is heavily affected. I don't want to come across apathetic but he has to move somewhere. He will be hindering everyone's investigation._

Nao tried to tell Mako to move. "Hey, Mako, why don't you go back to your room first? We will come and pick you up when it is time for trial. Is that okay?" Mako slowly nodded.

Umeko turned to Hana and said, "Take him to his room first. After that, you can join us for the investigation." Hana quickly agreed.

Mako stood up. Before they left, Mako mumbled, "The last time Jitsunori and I talked, he told me I should go back to my room."

This caught Nao's attention. Nao immediately tried to get more out of him. "What were you doing with Jitsunori?"

Mako answered with a smile. "We were both talking in the cafeteria how things would be if we met outside, if all of us met before this. It was such a great time. It was too good to end that we went to our rooms around midnight."

"Midnight? You were not with Reyes?" Nao asked.

Mako shook his head. "It was just the two of us." Suddenly, Mako started crying again. "It was our last moment together."

"Was he worried about something?" Nao asked.

Mako nodded. "He said he was worried about something but he did not tell me because he did not want me to worry about it."

* * *

**Fact #7: Mako's Testimony**

**Jitsunori and Mako stayed in the cafeteria until midnight. Jitsunori mentioned he was worried about something. Reyes was not with them.**

* * *

After that, Hana took Mako to their room. Nao and Umeko continued with their investigation. Jitsunori's body was positioned just like Reyes but on the other side of the room. Before they continued, Umeko commented, "I can't imagine what Mako is going through right now. They lost the two people they were closest to."

The two continued with the investigation. The first thing they noticed was Reyes' epee. "I can't imagine the pain of being stabbed in the face." Umeko commented. _Why was he stabbed in the face? Of all places, why was his face targeted?_

* * *

**Fact #8: Jitsunori's Stab Wound**

**Jitsunori's face has Reyes' epee stabbed through it.**

* * *

Nao continued to observe Reyes' epee. He noticed something. "The hilt of the epee is wet as well. And, it looks like it is the same as the liquid on Reyes' face." Nao said. Umeko agreed with Nao's observation.

* * *

**Fact #9: Wet Hilt**

**The hilt of Reyes' epee is wet with the same liquid on Reyes' face.**

* * *

After that, Nao continued with the investigation. He looked at the blade of Reyes' epee and noticed something. "Is that a piece of white cloth?" Nao asked. He saw a piece of cloth stabbed through by the epee.

"Why is there a piece of cloth there?" Umeko asked.

_How could this be here? _The two continued to wonder as they looked at the misplaced cloth.

* * *

**Fact #10: Torn Cloth**

**A piece of white cloth is stuck between the epee and Jitsunori's face. Its edges seem to be torn.**

* * *

The two continued to observe Jitsunori. Nao looked at Jitsunori's stabbed face. _Poor Jitsunori! His beautiful face is destroyed by whoever stabbed him. Your face was clear and free of wrinkles. _Suddenly, he noticed something weird with Jitsunori's face.

_Are those dark splotches? _Nao was shocked to see the splotches since Jitsunori's face is fair. He recognized it was similar to Reyes' splotches. However, Jitsunori's splotches are less than Reyes'. The splotches were mostly around where Jitsunori was stabbed.

* * *

**Fact #11: Jitsunori's Face**

**Jitsunori has dark splotches around his stab wound.**

* * *

After that, there was nothing any more to observe. The two decided to observe the room. They immediately notice a lot of things. "This place is a mess. Look at the blood trails!" Umeko pointed out. There were two blood trails. Each one led to where the victim was sitting. There is more blood away from the victims. However, Reyes' blood trail is smaller.

_There will only be blood trails if the victim was moved. Why would they move the_ victim?

* * *

**Fact #12: Blood Trails**

**There are two blood trails each leading to one of the victims. There is more blood away from the victim. Reyes' blood trail was smaller than Jitsunori's.**

* * *

The next thing they took note of was the wiped puddle of the yellowish liquid on the floor. It was near Reyes' blood trail. There was so much but it looked like it had been by something. _What is this liquid? It is everywhere! It is on the floor. There are some on the victims' faces. _

Nao pointed this out to Umeko. Umeko immediately replied with, "It must be a dangerous chemical or something to be used for murder." _I think I have to agree with Umeko on this one. _Nao tried to find any puddle near Jitsunori but there was none.

* * *

**Fact #13: Puddle**

**There is a puddle of yellowish liquid near Reyes' blood trail. It looks like it had been wiped with something.**

* * *

After that, Nao observed the floor itself and noticed it was marked by multiple slashes. The same goes for some of the equipment. _These slashes and dents are so random. What made these dents? These weren't here before._

Nao touched the markings. There were markings that were shallower than the others. _How are these markings made? _Nao pointed them out to Umeko. "Umeko, this room did not have these, right?" Nao asked.

"No! This room was very clean. These chips are surely new." Umeko answered.

* * *

**Fact #14: Slashes And Dents**

**The floor and some of the equipment have slashes and dents. Some markings are shallower than the others.**

* * *

They also noticed a broken Erlenmeyer flask. It was near one of the stations. However, what was interesting about it is that it only had a few shards. It was definitely missing some of the shards. _Where is the rest of it? _Nao asked himself. He also noticed that it was wet.

_What does this have to do with liquid? _He pointed this out to Umeko. "Do you know where the rest of it is?" Nao asked.

Umeko tried to look around but there were no shards she could find other than the ones on Reyes' hair. "It is just this or on Reyes' hair." Umeko answered.

* * *

**Fact #15: Broken Erlenmeyer Flask**

**A broken Erlenmeyer flask was found on the floor near one of the stations. It was wet. Some of its shards are missing.**

* * *

After that, they moved on to investigate the station near the broken flask. Before they could continue, Hana finally came back. She greeted the two and said, "So far, what did you guys find out?"

Nao and Umeko shared with her everything they have found out so far. Hana was happy to be informed. She was definitely more pumped to solve the case. "Okay! What are we going to do next?" Hana asked. _This is the energy we need right now to solve this case._

Before they moved on, Umeko asked how Mako was. "How is Mako holding up?"

Hana answered, "When I left Mako, they were sobbing their bed. I just left them when they started sobbing. I don't know what to do to help Mako so I just let them grieve." _I think that is all we could do for now._

After that, they quickly went back to the investigation. The station was messy. It had tools that were not familiar to them. There were several chemicals on the station. Hana commented, "For sure, this is not how I left the laboratory." Nao was struck by this.

Nao asked her, "What do you mean?"

Hana answered, "I think I am the last person who entered the lab. I went here this afternoon to make the slime. This is the exact station I used. I put back everything I used. And, I did not use any of these gizmos. I should be sure of that since I have been staring at it for five hours."

_If it was not Hana who set all this up, who did? Why are these all laid out here?_

* * *

**Fact #16: Hana's Testimony**

**According to Hana, after she used the station earlier this afternoon, she cleaned it up and put back everything she used. The equipment she used were different. It took her five hours to make the slime.**

* * *

After hearing Hana, Umeko quickly asked, "How did you know how to make your slime?"

Hana immediately answered, "I used the guide book. I left it somewhere over here." Hana looked for the book. She found the book on the station. She was surprised to see it when she found it. "Why is this open? I left it closed."

Nao and Umeko took a look at the opened guide book. It was open just like what Hana said. The page that is shown is an instruction on how to make acid G. The two read the instruction. The instruction says:

* * *

Chemicals needed:

10g of Chemical V

10g of Chemical O

10g of Chemical L

25g of Chemical E

5g of Chemical G

Tools needed:

Alcohol Burner

Steel Stand

2 Erlenmeyer Flasks

Thermometer

Bowl

Funnel

Steps:

1\. Mix 10g of chemical V, 10g of chemical O, 10g of chemical L, and 25g of chemical E in an Erlenmeyer flask.

2\. Put it over the alcohol burner using a steel stand. Put the thermometer inside the flask. Wait for it to reach 89˚C.

3\. Once it reaches 89˚C, pour it into a bowl. There, add 5g of chemical G. Put the thermometer in the bowl. Wait for it to reach 57˚C.

4\. Once it reaches 57˚C, pour the mixture inside another Erlenmeyer flask and store it until use.

Expected duration of process: 5 hours.

* * *

Nao was intrigued by the instruction. _This is really clear. Anyone can do it even though they are not chemists._

* * *

**Fact #17: Instruction For Acid G**

**The guide was opened on the page that shows how to make acid G.**

* * *

After that, Hana suggested, "Let's check out the cabinet for cleaning. If something was moved there, I will be able to tell it. I was the last one who arranged the things inside." The two quickly agreed with Hana's suggestion.

The three went to the cabinet. Hana opened it. Immediately, she noticed a lot of things. She first pointed out the gloves. "I never used the rubber gloves so I know it should not be there. It should be down here."

Nao was looking at the rubber gloves. He noticed something about it. "Should the rubber gloves be wet?" Nao asked.

Hana quickly answered, "No! It should be dry. Why would it be wet?" _Why would it be?_

* * *

**Fact #18: Rubber Gloves**

**The rubber gloves are misplaced. It is also wet.**

* * *

The next thing she pointed out was one of the rags. The rag is white but it had burnt patches. "This should not be like this. There is no reason for it to be burnt." Hana said. _A burnt rag? That is interesting. Why would someone burn a rag? I don't see the point in doing that._

Umeko added, "But, it is like a bit wet though. Look around it. There are like wet marks around it." _A wet burnt rag… Isn't that just more confusing._

* * *

**Fact #19: Burnt Rag**

**A rag had burnt patches. It could also be noted that it was wet since around it was also wet.**

* * *

The last thing Hana noticed was another rag. However, this time, the rag was ripped. It has a huge rip that in its center. It was also wet. _What were these rags used for? If it is not burnt, it is ripped. _It has blood as well.

Hana suddenly said, "This was the rag I used earlier. I should know since it has a label. It did not have this rip."

"What does the label say?" Nao asked.

"Acid-proof…" Hana answered.

* * *

**Fact #20: Acid-Proof Rag**

**An acid-rag was ripped in the center. It was also wet and has blood on it.**

* * *

After that, there was nothing left to search for in the room. _Where should we go next? _He thought about the facts that he has collected. _A lot of them are related to chemicals. I think we should visit the chemical storage room._

"We should go to the chemical storage room." Nao suggested. The two agreed. The three went to the chemical storage room. There, they saw Eri and Takashiro. The two were also checking out the chemicals.

Nao could see the two have a problem. They approached the two to ask. "Is there any problem?" Umeko asked.

Takashiro answered, "There are a lot of chemicals missing and we do not know why."

Eri added, "There should be 100g of each chemical but there are a lot of chemicals that have been used.

"Can you tell us what the missing chemicals are?" Umeko asked.

"There are 40g of chemical R and chemical U missing-" Hana immediately cut Eri off.

"That is probably my fault. I used those to make slime." Hana answered.

"That is not just that. 10g of chemical V, O, and L, 25g of chemical E, and 5g of chemical G are missing and we do not where it is." Eri continued. _That sounds familiar._

* * *

**Fact #21: Missing Chemicals**

**There are missing chemicals in the storage room.**

* * *

Nao asked, "How is your investigation?"

Takashiro said, "We are actually doing better than we thought we would."

"That is good!" Umeko commented.

"We really want t-t-to solve this since Reyes and Jitsunori did not deserve to die." Eri said.

"Those two were really kind to everyone, especially Jitsunori. He never fought with anyone. He always tried to help everyone." Umeko said.

"Just imagine what it feels like to be Mako." Nao said.

"That must have been horrible. Th-th-they lost their lover and their best friend. I think I would lose my mind if that happens to me." Eri said.

As the five were talking about Mako, Monokuma suddenly announced, "Investigation period is over. Please proceed to the gymnasium now." The five went out of the room. The five went together to the first floor. Once they reached the floor, Nao separated from the group. He was going to fetch Mako from his room.

Once he arrived in front of Mako's room, he knocked on the door. It took a while before Mako answered the door. Nao immediately noticed how distraught Mako was. Their eyes were red. Their cheeks were wet because of their tears. _This is the first time I have seen Mako like this._

"Is it time?" Mako asked.

Nao nodded. Mako went out of the room and went with Nao to the gymnasium. There, they were greeted by people. Umeko was the first to approach them. "Hey, are you ready for this?" Umeko asked Mako. Mako simply nodded.

"We are going to get through this. We will figure out who killed them, okay?" Umeko said.

Mako suddenly cried again. "Who-who-whoever k-k-killed them m-m-must pay!" He said as he holds his tears.

Nao readied himself for the upcoming trial. _I have to be ready for anything. The killer is definitely someone to be wary of. From the way they killed, they must be willing to do everything they can to get out._

As Nao was preparing himself mentally, Umeko suddenly approached her. "Nao, do you have the note with you?"

Nao was surprised by the question. "I don't have it with me. Why?" Nao asked.

"Well, I have a feeling it has something to do with the murder" Umeko said.

Suddenly, Nao and Umeko's tablet rang. They looked at it and received a new fact. Nao was surprised to see it.

* * *

**Fact #22: Nao's Note**

**Nao received a note that tells him to go to the chemistry laboratory room around midnight.**

* * *

**That is it for this update! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Now that you have all the clues you need, who do you think is the killer? You can vote on the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	28. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 6

**Hi guys! Here is the trial! I hope this will make things clearer for everyone!**

* * *

The remaining ten students are inside the elevator as it goes down to the courtroom. The ride was silent. No one dared to make a noise or even whisper to the people they were with. Everyone was laser-focused to solve the murder. However, this is not the only reason why they were quiet. It was mainly due to the nature of the murder.

The murder was bloody. It was not anything like the previous two murders. It felt so new and so wrong that it made people shut up. It has intimidated most of them. _This is new territory for me. This is the first time I have seen so much blood. How was the killer able to stomach this?_

Nao looked around and observed everyone. _I can't believe one of us was able to stab Jitsunori in the face. I don't think I could ever stab someone, especially in the face. _After that, he looked at his facts. _The murder is messy. A lot of things are all over the place. Rags, equipment, chemicals… _

As he was scrolling through his facts, he thought of something. _I thought everything needed to solve the murder is on the third floor and then this last fact showed up. _He looked at fact #22. It was about the note he received. _People probably have no idea about this. I should tell them during the trial._

After a while, the elevator stopped and its doors opened. They were already on the floor where the courtroom is. Everyone reluctantly walked out of the lift and went straight to the courtroom. Nao, Umeko, and Norio were the last people behind the group. Everyone has entered the courtroom except for them.

As they passed through the hallway, Nao noticed one of the doors. It had a keypad just like the locked door on the first floor. He stopped in front of it grabbing the attention of Norio and Umeko. He stared at it and noticed it was the exact same keypad on the first floor.

_It also needs a four-digit password. _Nao started pressing the buttons. _Zero… Zero… One… _Nao was about to press the last button when Monokuma suddenly appeared. He stood beside Nao and immediately slapped his hands.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Nao asked as he stroke his hand that Monokuma hit.

"What are you doing? We have a trial! You are making people wait!" Monokuma shouted.

Nao immediately responded, "I was just going to open this door. I only wanted to take a quick look at it."

Monokuma suddenly shouted, "No!"

"What do you mean no?" Nao asked.

"No means no!" Monokuma answered.

"Why?" Nao continued to ask.

Monokuma answered, "Because the rules say so!"

Nao opened the tablet and said, "There is nothing in here that says I can't enter this room!"

Suddenly, his tablet rang. He received a new file. It was a new copy of the rules. Monokuma just added a new rule.

* * *

Rule #17

Rooms on the basement floor are prohibited from being opened by any student except for the courtroom.

* * *

"Now it is! So get going already!" Monokuma said. And just like that, he disappeared into thin air. _This is unfair! Monokuma must be hiding something inside of that room. _

Nao continued to walk with Norio and Umeko. Umeko immediately asked Nao, "What was that?"

Nao replied, "I was going to open that door. It has the same keypad like the one on the first floor. Monokuma must be hiding something in there."

Suddenly, they heard a chuckle behind them. They turned around and saw Norio. They have completely forgotten Norio was still with them. Norio walked side by side with them. He looked at Nao and said, "So, you two have opened one of the locked doors on the first floor."

"Yes…" Umeko answered.

"Why haven't you told the group yet?" Norio asked.

"We keep forgetting since a lot of things happened. It is not just us who knows we have opened it already. Reyes also knew about it." Nao answered.

"Well, I advise you two to tell the group after the trial before you forget to tell everyone again." Norio said. After that, he whispered to Nao, "I know that is not your secret so I am still watching you."

Norio went ahead of the two and entered the courtroom. Nao and Umeko were the last ones to enter the room. The three were immediately greeted by a grumpy Hana. "Come on! Move already! We don't have much time!"

The three immediately went to their podiums. Nao immediately noticed three new pictures. Hana was standing in between Jirou's and Jitsunori's pictures. Hana is visibly uncomfortable being surrounded by pictures of dead people. Beside Norio was a stand with a picture of Reyes. He was indifferent about it.

Nao observed everyone. _This going to be a weird trial. We are all wearing our identical sleeping outfits. Some are not in their usual selves. Some are grumpy like Hana and Manon. There are people who are surprisingly quiet like Samuru. Well, I just hope we are all in the right mindset to solve this murder._

Nao stretched a bit and shook his hands. After that, he patted his cheeks. _I am awake. I think I should be able to do this. _After reenergizing, Nao took a look at his gathered facts for one last time before the trial begins.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #3**

**The first victim is Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz. The estimated time of her death was 12:06 am. The victim died from a stab wound on her back. **

**Fact #2: Autopsy Report #4**

**The second victim is Jitsunori Setsunosuke. The estimated time of his death was 12:31 am. The victim died from a stab wound on his head. **

**Fact #3: Dark Splotches**

**Reyes' face was covered with dark splotches. Most of the splotches were around her eyes.**

**Fact #4: Wet Face**

**Reyes' face was wet. However, it is not water that is drenched on her face.**

**Fact #5: Glass Shards**

**Reyes' hair was covered in shards of glass.**

**Fact #6: Reyes' Stab Wound**

**Reyes has a stab wound on her back below her left shoulder blade. It was deep and aimed right at her heart.**

**Fact #7: Mako's Testimony**

**Jitsunori and Mako stayed in the cafeteria until midnight. Jitsunori mentioned he was worried about something. Reyes was not with them.**

**Fact #8: Jitsunori's Stab Wound**

**Jitsunori's face has Reyes' epee stabbed through it.**

**Fact #9: Wet Hilt**

**The hilt of Reyes' epee is wet with the same liquid on Reyes' face.**

**Fact #10: Torn Cloth**

**A piece of white cloth is stuck between the epee and Jitsunori's face. Its edges seem to be torn.**

**Fact #11: Jitsunori's Face**

**Jitsunori has dark splotches around his stab wound.**

**Fact #12: Blood Trails**

**There are two blood trails each leading to one of the victims. There is more blood away from the victim. Reyes' blood trail was smaller than Jitsunori's.**

**Fact #13: Puddle**

**There is a puddle of yellowish liquid near Reyes' blood trail. It looks like it had been wiped with something.**

**Fact #14: Slashes And Dents**

**The floor and some of the equipment have slashes and dents. Some markings are shallower than the others.**

**Fact #15: Broken Erlenmeyer Flask**

**A broken Erlenmeyer flask was found on the floor near one of the stations. It was wet. Some of its shards are missing.**

**Fact #16: Hana's Testimony**

**According to Hana, after she used the station earlier this afternoon, she cleaned it up and put back everything she used. The equipment she used were different. It took her five hours to make the slime.**

**Fact #17: Instruction For Acid G**

**The guide was opened on the page that shows how to make acid G. The instruction contains the following:**

**Chemicals needed:**

** 10g of Chemical V**

** 10g of Chemical O**

** 10g of Chemical L**

** 25g of Chemical E**

** 5g of Chemical G**

** Tools needed:**

** Alcohol Burner**

** Steel Stand**

** 2 Erlenmeyer Flasks**

** Thermometer**

** Bowl**

** Funnel**

** Steps:**

**1\. Mix 10g of chemical V, 10g of chemical O, 10g of chemical L, and 25g of chemical E in an Erlenmeyer flask.**

**2\. Put it over the alcohol burner using a steel stand. Put the thermometer inside the flask. Wait for it to reach 89****C.**

**3\. Once it reaches 89****C, pour it into a bowl. There, add 5g of chemical G. Put the thermometer in the bowl. Wait for it to reach 57****C.**

**4\. Once it reaches 57****C, pour the mixture inside another Erlenmeyer flask and store it until use.**

**Expected duration of process: 5 hours.**

**Fact #18: Rubber Gloves**

**The rubber gloves are misplaced. It is also wet.**

**Fact #19: Burnt Rag**

**A rag had burnt patches. It could also be noted that it was wet since around it was also wet.**

**Fact #20: Acid-Proof Rag**

**An acid-rag was ripped in the center. It was also wet.**

**Fact #21: Missing Chemicals**

**There are missing chemicals in the storage room.**

**Fact #22: Nao's Note**

**Nao received a note that tells him to go to the chemistry laboratory room around midnight.**

* * *

_This is a lot to discuss. I hope we will not run out of time like the last trial. We cannot afford to lose. Our lives are at stake. _Nao looked at everyone. All of them looked confident to win the trial, including the killer.

Monokuma chuckled and said, "This is going to be fun! I expect great things from the killer! Anyway, let's start the trial!" Immediately, the group started talking. Everyone first looked at Norio who was standing with a different composure from the previous trials.

Nao noticed this and asked him about this. "Norio, is anything bothering you?"

Norio looked at him and said, "There is one thing that is bothering me."

Everyone was surprised by his answer. Hana asked, "You don't know who the killer is?"

Norio snickered and said, "Of course I already have a solid guess on who the killer is!"

Hana sighed with relief. "Thank god! Because if you can't, nobody can." _Norio is kind of our safety net every trial. I am so confident to get off-track because I know Norio can lead us back to the answer._

"There is one thing that is bothering me and that is why those two are in the laboratory. I did not find any clue about that. Manon and I searched everywhere for anything but we still ended up with nothing." Norio said.

_I think I have an answer for that. _Norio immediately noticed Nao's sudden change of expression. He immediately called him out for it. "Nao, what's with your face? Do you something to share with us?" Norio asked.

_I guess here goes nothing. _"Uhmmm… I think I know why Reyes and Jitsunori are there." Nao said. This grabbed everyone's attention.

"What is the reason?" Norio asked.

"It probably has something to do with the note I received earlier." Nao revealed to everyone. Norio was intrigued by this and asked, "This is the first time I heard something about this. Would you mind sharing with us what the note contained?"

Nao nodded. "When Umeko and I were looking for my tablet, we went to my room. There, we found a note, probably slipped under the door, saying I should go to the lab around midnight."

"What does that have to do with the two?" Samuru asked.

"After your fight with Reyes, I told her about it. Jitsunori was there when I told her about it. Reyes said I should not go and she will handle it." Nao answered.

"Are you saying Reyes visited the place instead of you?" Norio asked.

"That is probably the answer." Nao answered.

Asuka suddenly asked about Jitsunori. "What about Jitsunori? Why was he there?"

Nao looked at his facts. _I know I have something in here to answer her. Let me see… _He immediately found the fact he was talking about. "I think Mako can answer that for us." Nao said.

Everyone looked at Mako who was blankly staring at everyone. They were confused with what Nao said. "What do you mean?" Mako asked.

Nao immediately replied, "Yous said during your talk with Jitsunori that he was worried about something, right?"

Mako nodded, "He did seem bothered about something. He kept looking at the clock. I would ask him what the problem was but he won't tell me."

Norio then said, "I am going to take a guess. You two separated around midnight and he was the one who wanted to go to sleep." Mako nodded. Norio let out a snicker. He smugly looked at everyone. "Killer, I already know what happened…" Norio teased.

Nao wanted to ask Norio who it is that he thinks killed the two but he knew Norio will not share it before everyone figures it out as well. _I guess we will just have to solve this just like always. _Nao continued with, "With that, I think it explains why Reyes and Jitsunori are in the lab, right?"

Everyone agreed. Norio suddenly asked, "Now that is settled, I have a question to ask. Why did the killer target Reyes and Jitsunori?" It silenced the group. Nao immediately understood Norio's question. He looked at Norio and said, "Obviously, the killer didn't target those two. I was the killer's intended target, am I right?"

"You are right! I think it is clear when you put two and two together. Someone wanted you to go to the lab. A few minutes later, we find two people dead there. I don't think that was just coincidence." Norio answered.

Hearing this suddenly shook Nao. It took him time to process. Eventually, he realized something. He looked at Jitsunori's and Reyes' stands. "I am the one who is supposed to be dead…" He said. It rendered him speechless.

Norio added, "If Reyes did not tell you to not go, you are probably the one who we are talking about right now." This did not help Nao. He was starting to crumble. He knelt down. His hands were shaking. He was starting to hyperventilate. This made everyone worry about him.

Umeko left her podium and went to his side. She whispered, "Hey, it's alright…"

"I was supposed to die!" Nao said.

"But you are not!" Umeko said.

Nao looked at Umeko and said, "It is my fault they are dead."

Umeko immediately said, "It is no way your fault. It is the killer's fault why those two are dead. If we do not solve this case, their deaths will be all for nothing."

Umeko helped him calm down. Nao took deep breaths stopping him from hyperventilating. He looked at everyone. Some were indifferent while others were worried.

"Is Nao okay?" Eri asked.

"He is starting to calm down." Umeko answered.

_This is not about me. I have to help solve the case. This is no time to panic like this. Calm down, Nao. Calm down! _Eventually, Nao was able to stand back up again. He looked at everyone and said, "I am sorry about that. Let's go back to the trial."

Norio immediately continued talking. "Now, you guys know it is Nao who should be dead, not the two who are dead. What else should we talk about?" Norio asked.

Immediately, Asuka answered, "Can we talk about how messy the place was? It was wet. Blood was everywhere. And, what were those dents?"

"Let's talk about one thing at a time so that it will not get confusing." Nao said.

Everyone agreed.

Nao started with the blood. "Let's start with the blood first since it is the obvious one. I think we should be able to tell why there were trails of blood."

Umeko quickly answered, "They were moved."

Everyone agreed to this answer but a question was stuck in their mind. "Why would the killer move them?" Manon asked. _It is weird. There was no reason for the killer to move them. The killer could have just left them be._

_Let's think about it carefully. We said that they were moved because of the blood trail on the floor. Are there things on the floor that looked like it was moved? _Nao immediately looked at the clues specifically about the markings and things on the floor.

_There were slashes but that does not help me explain anything right now. The acid, I know there is something weird about the acid. _Suddenly, it hit him. He told everyone, "I think we should focus on the puddle of acid first."

Hana asked, "What do you mean?"

Nao explained, "I think it is not just the bodies that were tampered. Near Reyes' blood trail was a puddle of acid. But, there is something weird about it. It was just like the bodies." Nobody could understand Nao at first. All of a sudden, Umeko realized what he was talking about.

"I get it! Someone messed with it as well!" Umeko said.

"What?" Takashiro asked.

"The puddle of acid looked like it has been wiped by someone." Nao said.

Everyone thought about it. Realizing what they meant, everyone agreed. "You are right! From what I remember, it looked like it was being wiped off." Asuka said.

"Someone was definitely wiping off the acid but, if you think about it, it probably was not just the acid that was being cleaned up." Nao tried to further elaborate his point.

Umeko added, "The blood was also being wiped off as well."

"Exactly!" Nao said.

Suddenly, they were cut off by Manon. "How can we definitely say the blood was also being wiped off from just the puddle of acid? I don't get the connection." _It is quite hard to explain but I will try my best for this trial._

Nao answered, "Let's take a look at the blood trails again. If you would notice, one blood trail is bigger than the other one. Reyes pool of blood was quite little unlike Jitsunori's which is strange."

Eri suddenly joined. "I-I-I have to agree with Manon. So what if Reyes' pool of blood is little?"

"I was going to get to that point. It is strange because of Reyes' wound." Nao answered.

Suddenly, Norio chuckled. "Nao is on the right track."

"What?" Eri asked.

"Nevermind me. Please continue Nao." Norio said.

After hearing Norio's comment, he felt relieved. _At least I am on the right track. _Nao continued. "Reyes' wound reached her heart. If you think about it, compared to a stab wound in the face, a stab wound to the heart should have caused more blood to spill out but in the crime scene, there was so little of it."

"Okay… Reyes' pool blood should have been bigger than Jitsunori's b-b-but it is the complete opposite in the crime scene." Eri said.

"Exactly! I think that suggests the blood was cleaned up." Nao explained.

It seemed clear but Norio said, "I think you could use more evidence to prove your point. It would also explain a lot of things about the killer's action" Nao was confused by this. _There are other things point out to this? _Nao looked at the evidence. He tried to carefully analyze what Norio meant.

_Hmmm… What else points out cleaning up the crime scene? _All of a sudden, he found the fact Norio was talking about. "Are you talking about the rags and the gloves?" Nao asked.

Norio nodded. "Yes! I think you should explain this to others. I think only a few got these facts."

Nao looked at the others and saw confused expressions. _I forgot we all might have a different amount of clues. _Because of that, Nao explained. "We found a pair of rubber gloves and two rags wet. I think they were used to clean up the scene."

Hana immediately knew what he was talking about. "Oh, I almost forgot about those things!"

"Do you think you could explain it?" Nao asked.

Hana said, "There were wet gloves and rags. If we think about it, those were wet but not because of water. There was something else that could have made it wet."

Umeko added, "The acid…"

Nao then continued, "That's right! There was no reason for the killer to use gloves if they were not going to come into contact with the acid. The rags would not be completely wet if it did not absorb a liquid. My guess is that what the rags absorbed was the acid."

Umeko added, "And, those things are usually used for cleaning as well."

"Let me get this straight. The killer was cleaning up the crime scene. But, my question is why did the killer only tried to clean up Reyes' blood?" Hana asked. _Her question is valid. Why would the killer only try to clean up Reyes' blood?_

Nao was thinking about it carefully but could not come up with an answer. Everyone was stumped as well. _I think we should try to answer other questions first. I think we can come back to this one later._

"Let's try to focus first on the rags. There were two rags. One was ripped while the other one was burnt. Does anyone have an idea why is that?" Nao asked.

Immediately, Hana answered, "If we are going with our theory, the killer used the rag that was not acid-proof to wipe off the acid. It must have burnt it." _Hana is right. She must have really stayed quite a while in the laboratory to know these things._

"Hana is right. The killer used it to wipe off the acid without knowing about the rag being not acid-proof." Norio clarified.

"That also tells us something, right?" Umeko said.

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"The killer is not familiar with the tools in the laboratory." Umeko answered. _That is true. If they were used to using this stuff, they would not commit this clumsy mistake. It means the killer has not used the laboratory that much._

After that, Eri raised a question. "What about the other one… the one with the rip? Why was it… ripped?" _It is an interesting question. It was ripped. That means its other torn part must be in the crime scene somewhere._

Nao tried to remember where the other part of the rag. After a few seconds, he remembered where it was but Nao was weirded by it. _Why would it be there? _Samuru saw Nao's weirded out expression. "Is there something wrong?"

"I think I know how it was ripped but it sounds weird." Nao explained.

"Go ahead. We are trying to solve a murder. Anything would be helpful at this point." Samuru insisted.

Nao took a deep breath before continuing. "I think the sword tore a hole in the cloth but it was stuck so the killer tore it off from the sword."

"Why would it be stuck?" Hana asked.

"Because the cloth was in between the sword and Jitsunori's face." Nao said.

"How are you so sure about that?" Manon asked.

"There was a piece of cloth stuck between the epee and Jitsunori's face. It also looked like it has been ripped apart from something." Nao answered.

"That would be the acid-proof rag." Hana added. Nao nodded.

"It would also explain the dark splotches on his face." Norio added.

"What do you mean?" Nao asked.

Norio suddenly said, "Figure it out."

Nao suddenly thought about it. _What would cause the dark splotches? It would probably be the acid. But how did the acid got to his face? I think I know the answer. _Nao was ready to answer. "The killer threw the wet rag right after using it to wipe the acid. That must have caused burns or the dark splotches on his face."

"Then the killer stabs him?" Takashiro asked.

"Yes!" Nao answered.

"That made it sound like the killer was not prepared for Jitsunori." Takashiro said.

Nao thought about it. "Can you explain to us why said that?"

"Well, out of all of the things you could throw, why throw a rag?" Takashiro asked.

_He does have a point. The killer could have just easily done something quicker like stabbing him directly with a sword. What would make the killer throw it first? _Nao thought about it. He tried to think about what has been talked about already. Eventually, he was able to make something up.

"The killer threw the rag because it was what they were holding." Nao said.

"What?" Takashiro asked.

"What do we know so far about the killer?" Nao asked.

"The killer tried to clean the scene." Umeko said.

"Exactly! The killer must have been cleaning when Jitsunori appeared. They were caught off-guard. They instinctively threw the cloth at his face. It must have blinded him for a bit. The killer could have easily taken hold of the epee to stab him." Nao said.

"That would explain two things as well." Norio added.

Everyone's attention shifted to Norio. Norio continued, "The wet hilt and…"

Nao continued, "The unfinished cleaning."

Norio continued to explain. "The killer must have grabbed the epee with the wet gloves and stabbed him. They ripped off the cloth off of Jitsunori's face but thought the rag was unusable. Because of that, they must have thought cleaning would be impossible."

"Can anyone please summarize the shit that we have talked about so far? I am fucking falling asleep." Asuka said.

Umeko did the summarizing. "So far, we are able to make a concrete guess on how Jitsunori died. The killer must have been cleaning when Jitsunori walked in. Instinctively, the killer threw the cloth to Jitsunori's face and quickly stabbed him. Then, the killer ripped of the rag but thought there is no way they can clean using the ripped rag."

"Basically, we still have no fucking idea about Reyes' death." Asuka said.

_She is not wrong about that. I think we are able to solve Jitsunori's murder. I think it is time for us to focus on Reyes. _"Let's talk about Reyes then." Nao said.

"What should we talk about her first?" Umeko asked.

"Let's talk about something we already know." Norio said.

"I am guessing it is the dark splotches on her face." Hana said.

"You are right!" Norio answered.

"We all know it was caused by the acid. Knowing that, what do you guys think happened?" Norio asked.

_The acid was thrown to her face. That is the only thing I could think about. _Nao thought about it deeper. However, it just made him more confused. He tried to stop thinking like that and tried to think in a more direct logic.

_The killer threw the acid on Reyes' face. Of course, that caused the dark splotches. The dark splotches are around her eyes. That means her eyes were exposed to the acid. _Nao suddenly got it. He immediately said, "She was blinded, wasn't she?"

"That is right! Continue the trial with that." Norio said.

"How could you say that?" Samuru asked.

"Try to think about where the dark splotches are on her face." Nao said.

"They were around her eyes." Samuru answered.

"It is quite possible some of the acid got into her eyes. I am not a scientist but I think that would blind her." Nao elaborated.

"That must have thrown her off." Umeko said.

"Can you explain what you mean by that." Nao asked.

"I don't think anyone can kill Reyes. Samuru cannot even defeat her. The killer must have done something to even the playing the field." Umeko.

"Uhmmm… I have a question." Eri said.

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"According to the autopsy report, she was stabbed t-t-to death. I think we can say it was the sword. But, how could the killer stab her if Reyes has the sword?" Eri asked.

_It is true. Even if Reyes was blinded, that does not automatically make it easy for the killer to take hold of Reyes' epee. The killer must have done something else. _Nao read his facts again. Two facts caught his attention.

"There was broken Erlenmeyer flask with missing shards. There were glass shards on Reyes' hair. I think we can connect that in some way." Nao said.

"I have an answer!" Asuka said.

Nao looked at her and said, "What is it?"

"The killer fucking hit her in the head with the flask! That must have hurt so bad!" Asuka answered. Everyone agreed to Asuka's answer. _If the killer hit her in the head, that must have done something to her. _

"I think I know how the killer got hold of the epee." Nao said.

This got everyone's attention. "How?" Hana asked.

"I think the killer incapacitated her. Even if she was blinded, Reyes can still fight back." Nao said.

Manon immediately asked, "Can you please prove that to us?"

_There are a lot of signs Reyes could still fight back. It was all over the room. _"The random slashes and dents can prove it." Nao answered.

"Please elaborate more." Manon said.

"After she was blinded, Reyes must have grabbed on to her epee and started flinging her sword randomly. I think that would be the most logical thing to do to make the killer stay away from her. But since she had no vision, her swings must have been random. She must have hit the floor and equipment and made few scratches." Nao explained. This silenced Manon.

Umeko continued Nao's statement. "Because of her erratic behavior, the killer must have thought Reyes should be knocked out. They hit her with the flask."

"That is I think what happened as well. Knocking her out, it is easy to take the epee away from her and stab her in the heart." Nao said.

"I have to say, the killer must be really knowledgeable about the body." Samuru said.

It caught everyone's attention. "Why do you say that?" Nao asked.

"It was a clean stab. The killer did not have to stab her twice to hit her heart." Samuru added.

After that, the room became silent. They did not know where to continue. They are confident with what they have so far. _I think we pretty much solved the murders of the two. But, there is one problem. We still do not have a name._

Nao was getting more worried about this. He knew time was ticking. He tries to scan again all of his gathered clues and try to find something. _There must be something we are missing. I need to figure out this quickly._

Suddenly, he figured out what they were missing. "I got it." Nao said. This surprised everyone.

"What is it?" Hana asked.

"I think we already have the murder mapped out but we could not name the killer because we have completely glossed over one important detail." Nao said.

"What is it?" Manon asked.

Everyone was waiting for Nao to answer. Nao was starting to feel nervous. _I hope I do not lead us to the wrong answer. _He looked back at everyone and said, "We have completely forgotten about the guide on how to make the acid."

Everyone was confused but Nao was sure of what he was saying. He looked at Norio and received a smile from him. _I guess I am on the right track._

"There is something in the manual that would narrow down our list of suspects." Nao said as everyone listens intently to him.

* * *

**That is all for this update! I hope this made it clearer who did it!**

**Who do you think killed those two? You can tell me by answering the poll on my profile.**

**If you want talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**If you want to say anything about this story, you can comment. **

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	29. Killing Two Birds With One Sword 7

**OMG! I cannot believe this is the last update for the third chapter! I hope you guys will enjoy this!**

* * *

Everyone was waiting for what Nao has to say. Nao looked at his facts again to be sure. After that, he continued with his statement. "Does everyone have the fact about the instruction for making the acid?" Nao asked.

Everyone said they have a copy of the instruction. Nao took a sigh a relief. _Thankfully, everyone has a copy. This will make explaining easier. _Nao continued, "Look at your copies carefully. Tell me if you see something that might help us narrow down our list of suspects."

Hana immediately answered, "Is it the listed chemicals?"

"Not really but keep figuring it out." Nao said.

Umeko, who was standing beside him, tapped him on his shoulder. Nao looked at him. She leaned towards him and whispered, "Is it the duration of making it?" Nao nodded. Umeko was surprised she got it.

Knowing that she was right, Umeko shouted her answer, "It's the duration of making it!"

Everyone looked at it. Most of them were still confused. "Five hours… What does that mean to us?" Hana asked.

Nao simply answered, "To make the acid requires a lot of time from the killer. This means that whoever killed Jitsunori and Reyes disappeared from everyone for at least five hours."

Asuka added, "If you think of it like that, it means whoever was fucking missing from our sight for that long will automatically be a suspect."

Nao said, "Exactly! We just have to think of the people who were gone for that long. Let's think of the people who were gone for that long today."

"Why only today?" Eri asked.

Nao immediately answered, "Try thinking about it carefully." Because of that, people tried to come up with an answer. Eventually, it was Takashiro who got the correct idea. "Is it because the chemicals only went missing now?"

Nao answered, "Correct! If the needed chemicals for the acid only went missing today, it meant the killer only prepared the acid today." Everyone understood what he said.

"Now we got that, let's think about what happened today." Umeko said.

Asuka was the first to narrate. "This morning, Hana, Manon, Samuru, and I were together helping Samuru to prepare for his fight with Reyes." Nao asked the other three if Asuka's version was right. All three of them confirmed it.

Takashiro went next. "Same goes with us! We were all together helping Reyes."

Norio said, "However, as usual, I was nowhere to be found."

Umeko continued, "Then, the fight happened. Obviously, Samuru was there since he fought and lost against Reyes. Our group was complete."

Norio also said, "I was there with Manon supervising the fight."

Manon added, "However, unlike your group, we were incomplete. Hana was missing."

Hana immediately defended herself. "I was gone for five hours but because of my super sticky slime. Not because of acid."

Eri continued, "A-a-after Reyes won, we all went back to the cafeteria except for Norio."

Samuru was next, "We ate together but Manon left earlier than everyone else. She was gone from our sight five hours before Reyes was killed."

With that, everyone was able to summarize the events of today. Nao continued, "Because of that, we are now down with three suspects, Norio, Hana, and Manon. One of them is the killer."

Takashiro commented, "But, there are still plenty of them to choose from." _Takashiro is right. There is still plenty of them to choose from. _However, Nao was prepared to make the list smaller.

"Now, let's think about what our killer's traits are." Nao said.

"Traits?" Samuru asked.

"Yes! The killer showed to us a lot of things to describe them." Nao said. People paused for a while to think about it. _I know it is quite bizarre to make them think like this but I know this is the only way to narrow it down to just one. _

Umeko was first to describe the killer. "The killer was determined to kill."

Asuka added, "That means whoever they are must be fucking affected by the motive."

Nao looked at Norio and said, "That makes Norio not our suspect. He was not even remotely affected when Monokuma revealed his compartment."

Everyone agreed with him. With that, it was only between Hana and Manon.

"The killer d-d-does not have any b-b-basic knowledge in chemistry. They had to rely on a manual to create an acid." Eri said.

"That is a good observation Eri but that could still mean it was either Hana or Manon." Nao said.

Takashiro said, "What about the killer being able to pierce Reyes' heart precisely? That has to mean something to be mentioned in the facts, right?" Nao smiled. _That exactly what I needed to hear._

Nao clarified everything. "The killer was able to pierce Reyes' heart precisely. It was clean just like what Samuru said earlier. It means the killer was confident with what they were going to stab."

Asuka interrupted, "Does that mean the killer has experience with stabbing people as well?"

Norio laughed then sarcastically commented, "Nice guess."

Asuka rolled her eyes and said. "I was just fucking trying to help."

"Well, it does suggest something about our killer." Nao said.

Samuru had an idea, "The killer has sufficient knowledge about the body."

"Yes! Between Hana and Manon, who do you guys think have more knowledge about the body?" Nao asked everyone. People immediately looked at Manon who was standing quietly listening to everything. She raised her brow and looked at Nao who was at her right.

"Why me?" Manon calmly asked.

"Obviously, you have more knowledge about the body than Hana." Nao said.

Manon replied, "How do you say so?"

"Your experience with first aid must have given you so much knowledge about the anatomy." Nao said.

"My knowledge in first aid is for helping people and not harming them." Manon defended herself.

"But you could easily use that to know people's critical area such as the heart." Nao continued.

"What if Hana luckily stabbed Reyes through the heart?" Manon said.

"I doubt that! I am sorry to say this Hana but she is clumsy. She is not precise unlike you who has shown precision with everything you have done." Nao continued.

"Why is it just me? Hana I think was equally affected as me." Manon was still continuing.

"I agree but it does not really prove you are not guilty of it." Nao said.

Manon was slightly annoyed by this. "Nao, I do not get why you are pinning the murder on me. You still have not proven my guilt as well."

_She is right. I know it is her from how our killer behaved but I am having a hard time pinning her down. She is calm, unlike Jirou last time who was obviously affected. I need help. _Nao looked to Norio for help. Norio immediately understood his expression.

"Manon, give up already! You are the killer." Norio said. Everyone was shocked by this. Even Manon did not expect for Norio to jump in.

Umeko asked, "Manon is also your answer."

"Yes, she is!" Norio said.

Manon was slightly affected by this declaration but she still remained calm. "You must be making a mistake for the first time in your career." Manon said.

This definitely irked Norio but it only made him want to bring her down even more. "Manon, do you think I did not notice how you tried to derail our investigation earlier?" Norio asked.

"I don't know what you mean. I was just pointing at stuff I thought would be helpful." Manon answered.

"You were pointing at the trash can which obviously did not have anything. That was stupid." Norio said. Manon was a bit irritated when she was called stupid.

"Is that all you have to say?" Manon said.

"I am not yet done." Norio said.

He looked at everyone which was surprising since he was just looking at Manon as he interrogated her. He started talking. "Can you guys describe the crime scene again?" Norio asked.

"It was messy." Umeko immediately answered.

"That's right! The room was a mess. It had scratches and acid all over the lab. But most of all, it was bloody. Blood was everywhere. We all know the killer cleaned. Do you think the killer would be able to get out of there without any blood on them?" Norio continued.

Everyone said no. "Right answer! Now, let's take a look at everyone here. Does anyone here have blood on them?" Norio asked.

Everyone was stain-free. Norio continued, "Obviously, no one has blood. Now, what do you think the killer did to get rid off the blood?"

"They washed it off." Takashiro said.

"The killer did not just wash it off. Just imagine the amount of blood that gushed out of Jitsunori's face. That must have been a lot. The killer definitely took a shower." Norio answered.

Norio looked back at Manon. "What were you doing before we knocked on your door?"

"I was sleeping…" Manon answered.

"No, you weren't! You took a shower! That is the reason why it took you so long to answer the door! You were still in the bathroom dressing up and drying yourself down. You just used your reputation of loving to sleep as an excuse for not answering the door quickly." Norio said.

"What? That is insane! What is your proof?" Manon asked.

Norio smirked. "How many clues does everyone have?"

Most of them answered twenty-two, including Manon. After hearing that, Norio answered, "Well, I have twenty-three."

Norio showed his tablet which displayed a fact that he only had.

* * *

**Fact #23: Manon's Hair**

**Manon's hair was unusually wet for someone who was sleeping for a while.**

* * *

"Did you think I, Norio, your partner throughout the investigation, would not notice your hair?" Norio asked. Manon could not say anything. She was silent and could not say anything to defend herself.

Norio looked at everyone and said, "Remember this, Monokuma only gives us clues that are important to the murder and if it only caught our attention."

Norio looked back at Manon and said, "You could have gotten away with your wet hair easily with someone else but not with someone like me. I immediately noticed your hair when you opened your door. That is why I wanted to pair with you, to see if I was right."

Manon was silenced.

"I think it is time to end this." Norio said.

Norio took the initiative to tell the class how the murder went down.

* * *

**Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz and Jitsunori Setsunosuke's Murder**

"Let's start from the beginning. The killer's original plan was to kill Nao. They gave him a note to meet them in the chemical laboratory. Finding this note, Nao told Reyes along with Jitsunori about it. Reyes told Nao she will handle it. This made Nao not comply with the note. Instead, Reyes was the one who was going to meet our killer.

The killer quickly went out of the cafeteria after eating dinner. They had to or else they would run out of time to make the acid which is one of the important things they need to commit the crime.

The killer took the chemicals they needed from the chemical storage room to make the acid. They were following the guide since they did not know how to make acid. For five hours, the killer created the acid.

Midnight came. The killer was preparing for Nao's arrival. However, instead of Nao, Reyes was the one who came. The killer immediately thought on their feet and sprayed Reyes acid to her eyes. Reyes was blinded by this but she did not give up. She swung her sword around scratching a lot of things in the room.

The killer could not kill Reyes because she was still moving too much so they smashed the flask on Reyes' head incapacitating her. The killer immediately grabbed Reyes' epee and precisely stabbed Reyes to the heart.

The killer wanted to clean up the crime scene to cover their tracks. They grabbed a pair of rubber gloves and a rag. While wiping the acid, the rag burned because it was not acid-proof. This made the killer look for an acid-proof rag.

While cleaning, Jitsunori walked in next. Jitsunori came because he was worried as well. Even though the killer was cleaning, they were able to react quickly. They threw the rag on his face and stab him with the epee on his face.

The killer ripped the rag off Jitsunori's face but the killer did not continue to clean since it was not usable anymore. The killer moved the two and to the wall and hid the cleaning materials.

The murder was bloody. The killer definitely had blood on them so they took a bath. While they were trying to clean themselves, people were trying to wake her up since they thought the killer was asleep. The killer used their reputation to take their time.

Eventually, the killer answered the door and went to the crime scene. They pretended to have not seen already the gruesome murder with everyone else. They would have gotten away if I did not notice their wet hair. There is only one person who could have done this all! The murderer is Manon Aida, the Ultimate Cyclist!"

* * *

Manon was silent. She did not say anything to defend herself.

Monokuma then said, "I think we are done with this trial! It is time to cast your votes!"

Nao looked at the buttons. _I guess it is clear who the killer is._

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist

3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist**

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

Everyone was finished voting. Suddenly, the television screen on top of Monokuma turned on. It displayed a huge wheel with everyone's name on it. A red arrow was beside it. Suddenly, the wheel began to spin. The wheel was spinning faster and faster until it slowed down and stopped with Manon's name beside the arrow. Confetti appeared on the screen with the results of the voting.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Manon Aida – 9**

**Hana Ongaku – 1**

**Answer: Manon Aida**

**Correct!**

* * *

Everyone was silent. They could not believe they got it right. Manon remained silent. Everyone wanted to know why she did it, especially Asuka who was the closest to her this whole time. Asuka was about to ask her when Mako suddenly walked towards Manon.

Everyone watched as Mako approached her. Mako stopped when they were already in front of Manon. Manon looked at them. She saw Mako's anger in their eyes. Manon trembled. All of a sudden Mako headbutt her.

This made her fall to the ground. Mako immediately sat on top of her. He threw a punch on her eye. This gave her a black eye. After that, they put their hands around her neck. Everyone was surprised by this and could not react quickly.

Manon screamed with everything she has, "Help! I can't… I can't breath!"

Hearing this, Mako even strangled her more. Seeing this, Samuru intervened. He put his arms around Mako's waist and arms. Then, he lifted them off of Manon. Manon immediately took a deep breath and crawled away from them.

Mako started shouting, "How dare you ask for help when you killed two people? How dare you! I will never forgive you for this! You killed the two people that made my life here tolerable! Now, I have no one! No one!"

Mako tried to get out of Samuru's arms. He wiggled but Samuru would not let go. "Let me go! She needs to feel the pain I am feeling right now! She deserves it! I hate you! I hate you bitch!" Mako continued to scream.

Manon looked around for anyone to help her, to defend her. She looked at Asuka who only stood watching her get beaten up and verbally attacked.

All of a sudden, Mako was able to get out of Samuru's grasp. They quickly ran towards Manon who was still on the floor. Mako was about to kick her when Samuru punched Mako knocking them out. Samuru carried Mako and put them aside.

After that, everyone looked at Manon. They were waiting for an explanation. She stood up and went back to her podium. She tried to act as if nothing happened but her black eye was too evident to disregard what happened.

"Why did you do it?" Nao asked.

Manon answered, "I did it for my sister."

"For your sister?" Hana asked.

"The shirt that Monokuma showed me was a gift from my sister, Rina. It should be with her right now at our house in Amsterdam. But, it is here in Japan. How did Monokuma get it? I have to get out of here! I need to make sure they are okay, that my sister is fine." Manon said.

Nao asked, "Why did you target me?"

Manon answered, "Isn't it obvious? I chose you because you are very helpful when it comes to trials. I need to make sure I get out of here. It was not anything personal."

Nao continued to ask, "Why me and not Norio?"

"It is true that both of you are equally vital in solving trials but you sway people more to vote for a person since Norio is not as personable as you, even though you are not really that personable." Manon answered.

"You were really willing to kill everyone just to get out." Asuka said.

"I am sorry Roxanne. My sister is more important to me than all of you. That is why I chose her over you guys." Manon answered.

"Was our friendship fake?" Asuka asked.

"Of course not… I really thought of you as my friend." Manon said.

"But why did you want me to fucking die?" Asuka shouted.

Manon wanted to answer her but she saw Asuka's eyes. She knew there is nothing she could say to calm her down. She turned to Nao and said, "I am really sorry."

After that, she turned to Samuru and said, "I am sorry. Please tell Mako how sorry I am. I am sorry everyone."

She turned to Monokuma and said, "I am ready for my execution."

Monokuma was excited when he heard this. "I was expecting a lot from you but you fell short like the first two. Well, at least you volunteered for your execution! Let's get to my favorite part of the trial! I have a very special punishment for you, Manon Aida, the Ultimate Cyclist! Let's give everything we got! It's punishment time!" A red button appeared in front of him. Then, he pulled out a gavel and used it to hit the button.

Suddenly, a clamp appeared and grabbed her away.

The screen suddenly showed:

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Manon Aida has been found guilty**

* * *

**Tour Du Désespoir**

**Manon Aida**

**The Ultimate Cyclist Execution**

**-Used-**

Manon fell onto a chair. It was dark. Manon could not see where she was. All she could do was wait for something to happen. Suddenly, a spotlight was put over her revealing she was sitting on a bicycle. Seeing this, she sat on it like a proper cyclist.

Her path suddenly lit up. She saw a path full of turns and inclines. Manon recomposed herself. She does not know what to do other than pedal. She pedaled fast like she was in a race. She was starting to feel comfortable with the track thinking she was out of harm's way.

All of a sudden, gears and blades appeared in her way. She tried to avoid them but the path was getting narrower forcing her to get cut by the many gears and blades.

Each cut was painful earning a scream for her. She tried to endure it but it was too much. She got cuts, some were almost to the bone. She was starting to go slow. Nothing was making her go anymore.

All of a sudden, she heard a girl scream.

"Help! Help! Please! Don't! No! Manon! Don't let them hurt me!" Manon immediately recognized the scream. It was her sister's. After hearing her screams, she continued to pedal looking for her. She pedaled and pedaled even though she got cut so many times. She endured everything just to find her sister.

After a while, she was able to find her sister. She was at the end of the path. Her sister was sitting on the floor with her hands and feet tied up. Manon immediately rushed to her. She pedaled and pedaled. She was so close to her sister when she suddenly hit a flat surface.

She crashed into a screen that was showing her sister. It was just a video of her sister screaming for help in a loop. Her crash left her immobile.

She was leaning on the screen when spikes protrude from it. This immediately impaled her and tore of her limbs. She died painfully while hearing her sister screaming in pain.

* * *

Everyone was silent. People were disgusted with how brutal the execution was. Eri threw up when Manon's limbless body was shown on screen. Umeko went to her to help her. "Are you alright? Let's get you some water first."

Umeko took Eri out of the room. Takashiro followed them. The remaining six just stared at the screen and at Monokuma. As Asuka keep looking at the screen, her anger grew and grew until she could not contain it anymore. She shouted, "What was that? That was so fucking brutal!"

Monokuma simply shrugged it off and said, "Really? She did brutally murder her victims as well. I thought it was only fitting for her to die in the bloodiest way I could think of. Hahahahahaha!"

Nao did not care about how bloody the execution. All he could think of was the video of the woman in Manon's execution. _Why does he have a video like that? How did he get that? _Thinking about this sent shivers down his spine.

_I hope my dad is safe. _That is all he could think of. After a few minutes, Monokuma disappeared. Many went out of the room as well. Samuru carried Mako out of the room. Asuka followed him. Hana was the next to go. The only two people remaining in the room were Nao and Norio.

Nao stood in silence as Norio approached him. "It looks like I was right." Norio said.

Nao looked at him and said, "What do you mean?"

"I predicted that you will be targeted by a killer. You are just lucky this time the killer's plan did not work." Norio said.

"I guess I am." Nao said.

"You owe your life to Reyes. If it wasn't for her, you would be dead by now." Norio said.

_He is right. If Reyes did not tell me she will handle it, I would have gone to the laboratory as the note told me to. _Nao was saddened by this realization.

Norio continued, "But, I did notice you did something different this time with the trial."

"What did I do differently?" Nao asked.

"You let everyone think. It was not just you and me who came up with answers. You let them answer as well." Norio said.

"I did." Nao said.

"Why?" Norio asked.

"After hyperventilating, I realized that I will become a target of another killer if I continue doing what I usually do." Nao said.

"Smart… Smart people are the kind of people I would hang around with." Norio said,

Nao was shocked to hear this. Norio then walked away. Before he left the room, Nao asked, "Are you saying you will start hanging around with everyone."

Norio turned around and said, "I realized something as well during the trial. Being not seen by everyone will always automatically make me a suspect. That will just hinder us whenever there is a trial."

"You are joining the group?" Nao said.

"I did not say that. All I said is I prefer hanging out with people like you." Norio said.

"So, you are going to hang out with me." Nao said.

"Yeah, yeah! Whatever! Don't make it a big deal." Norio said.

After that, he walked out of the room. _Norio is finally joining us. This will be interesting._

Nao was the last person to walk out of the room. He went inside the elevator and rode it to the gymnasium. Nao walked out of the gymnasium. As he was walking in the hallway, he saw Umeko inside the cafeteria. He stopped and went inside.

Umeko was sitting with a glass of water in her hand. She was drinking. When Nao went inside the cafeteria, she stopped drinking and said, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"I saw you here so I thought to check up on you." Nao said. Nao sat beside her.

"I'm alright. I am just processing everything that happened." Umeko said.

"How is Eri?" Nao asked.

"Takashiro took her to her room." Umeko answered.

"That is good to hear." Nao said. After that, it was silent. No one dared to say anything or move. They just sat there. But, they were not waiting for the other person to say good night. They were okay with the silence.

Umeko looked at him and said, "Are you already okay?"

"Of course I am fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Nao answered.

"You know, when we found out you were the original target, my heart dropped." Umeko said.

"Why?" Nao asked.

"I can't imagine you dead. I don't think I will be able to handle it. You are the closest person to me here. You make living here less hellish. I was scared to lose you." Umeko said. Suddenly, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Nao put his arm around her. Then, Umeko leaned on him. "The thought of me dead frightened me. I have so many things I want to do. I have so many things to say. I am not yet ready to die." Nao said.

Umeko wiped her tears and looked at him. She locked eyes with Nao. The two stared at each other. Nao could feel his heartbeat. His heartbeat grew louder and louder as time passed by. All of a sudden, Umeko leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Nao was surprised by this. He did not know what to do. After that, Umeko looked at Nao who was blankly staring at her. Umeko quickly stood up and walked out of the room before Nao could even process what happened.

Nao touched his lips thinking of what Umeko did. _She kissed me… _Nao did not know what to say nor what to do. All he could do was sit in silence.

After a few minutes, he stood up and walked out of the room. He walked to his room with only the kiss in his mind. He thought he did not know what to feel but little did he know after he was kissed, he was smiling the whole entire time like he won a lottery.

* * *

**Killing Two Birds With One Sword (Deadly Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 9**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist(DECEASED)**

**9\. ****Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 7**

* * *

**That is the end of chapter 3! I hope you enjoyed it! **

**I want to thank TheRoseShadow21 for submitting Manon Aida! I hope I was able to portray her properly! I really had fun using her!**

**Did you get the killer right? I hope you did!**

**I cannot believe the next update will be for chapter 4! I am so excited!**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	30. Round And Round We Go 1

**Hi guys! I can't believe we are already on the first part of chapter 4! Thank you so much for those who are still reading this story!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

It was a bright and windy afternoon. Nao was sitting on a rock beside a blue clear lake. In the lake were different schools of fish. Birds hovered the surface of the lake waiting to sweep a school for their snack. Several feet below the lake were pebbles and sand that was spread to the edge of the lake. Surrounding the lake is an orchard of trees with emerald green leaves forming canopies from a great height. The sky was a clear blue with flocks of birds flying.

The scenery was peaceful. The wind made its way through the trees creating a symphony of rustling leaves. Hovering over the surface of the lake, the wind made waves crashing on to the rocks near where Nao was sitting. The refreshing air gently touched his face.

He took it all in and paused for a while to relax. _This is beautiful. I wish my life is as peaceful as this lake. _Nao finally felt at peace after a long time. _What can I do to have this? I just want to feel like this all the time._

He continued to bask in the sunlight. As he was lounging around, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned to see a lady in a white sleeveless dress. She was wearing white flipflops and a white wide-brimmed hat. He tried to see her face but it was covered by the hat.

The lady continued to walk until she was in front of Nao. She stopped and took off her hat. She gave Nao a smile and sat beside him. It was Umeko.

Finding out it was Umeko, he quickly averted his gaze from her. He was looking at the lake again. Nobody said anything. It was as if nothing happened. Nao continued doing nothing. He tried to shrug Umeko's presence but he could not. It was quiet but it was not peaceful.

Nao felt a great wave of awkwardness travel through his body. He felt uncomfortable. He tried to fix the way he was sitting on the rock numerous times but he could not go back to the way he felt earlier. It was obvious and Umeko could not help but giggle.

"Is everything alright?" Umeko asked.

Nao was still acting as if Umeko was not there. He kept on changing his position when Umeko suddenly put her hand on his chin. She made him look at her. Umeko tried to lock eyes with him but Nao's eyes continued to avert his eyes.

Umeko stood up and smiled. She looked at Nao and said, "Goodbye!" After that, she walked away. When Umeko was already far from him, he shouted, "Wait! Don't go…". No matter how loud his words were, it was already too late because Umeko was gone.

* * *

Nao slowly woke up from his dream. He opened his eyes to see he was in his room and not anywhere near a lake. He reached for his tablet to see what time it was. It was only a quarter after five. He put back his tablet and tried to go back to sleep.

As soon as he closed his eyes, all he could think about is Umeko's kiss. _Umeko really did kiss me. Umeko kissed me. She kissed me on my lips. _Nao could not think straight and was annoyed by this. Knowing that he cannot fall back to sleep again in his current state, he got out of his bed and got ready for the day.

He did his usual routine. He showered and got dressed. He took his tablet and was about to put it in his jacket. He was about to put it in when he noticed something. _Huh… That is strange. There is no new floor plan. Usually, after a trial, I get a new floor plan. Maybe it still too early. Monokuma might send it later._

He shrugged it off and went to the door. Before he opened the door, he had a thought. _I hope Umeko does not come out of her room at the same time as me. _Nao slowly opened his door and looked around to find he was all alone. Seeing this, he let out a sigh of relief.

Nao continued and walked to the kitchen. As he was walking, all he could think about is the kiss. _Why am I so bothered by her kiss? It is just a kiss. Just calm down Nao! Maybe, she was not in the right mind after the trial. I can't say that._

Nao cannot shake it off. He knew he was not mad about it but he does not know what he was feeling. That is the reason why he was completely uncomfortable. _What is this? I can't think straight!_ _All of this is happening because of a kiss!_

After a few minutes, he was finally in the cafeteria. He stopped and looked at where they kissed. _Stop looking at it! You are just making yourself worse. _Nao continued to walk to the kitchen. He opened the door and immediately saw Umeko.

Umeko was already cooking. She was smiling from ear to ear. She was humming as she flipped a pancake. When Nao opened the door, she looked at him. Her smile suddenly shrank. Just like Nao, she could not look at him straight in the eyes.

"Oh! Hi Nao!" Umeko greeted him with less energy than she usually does.

"Yeah… Hi Umeko…" Nao said. _What am I doing?_

After that, the two just stood there waiting for someone to break the awkward silence. Nao was the one to break it. "So… Uhmmm… What are you cooking?"

"Oh, this? These are just pancakes that I made." Umeko answered.

After that, it was dead silence again. Nao walked to her to look at the pancakes. Nao tried to look nothing happened but it was obvious he was not acting like his usual self. He stood beside Umeko who was only looking at the pancakes.

"What are you going to eat?" Nao asked.

Umeko briefly answered, "This."

"Oh, it's vegan. That's cool…" Nao said. There was nothing else he could say. He continued to look at the pancakes as Umeko flipped several of them. It was completely awkward none of them could do anything about it.

Out of the blue, Monokuma's morning announcement was aired. "Wake up! It's already six! Time to do something useful!" After that, it was completely silent again.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, the door opened. The two looked and saw Asuka come in. The two were shocked to see her. "You're early!" Umeko said.

"That's right! I am here to help! What do you guys need me to do?" Asuka asked. She looked at the two. The kept on glancing at each other not knowing what to say or who to answer. Thankfully, Asuka came up with something. "I know! I can make a mean milkshake for everyone! That is going to be fucking amazing!"

"That sounds amazing Roxanne!" Umeko said.

Immediately, Nao said, "I should fix the table." Nao quickly grab plates and utensils and went to the cafeteria in rush. _I can't stay in there. I might do something that could make things even more awkward._

Nao went out of the kitchen and saw Samuru sitting at the table. Nao was surprised to see him there already. He smiled and said "Hi Samuru! Why are you awake already?" Nao asked. Nao walked to the table to set it up.

Samuru answered, "Roxanne made me wake her up."

"Just like how she made Manon wake her up last time?" Nao replied.

"Yup but when I came to her room, she was already awake and full of energy. She looked like she did not need me to wake her up." Samuru said.

"If that is the case, why didn't you just go back to sleep?" Nao asked.

"I thought I needed to make sure she is okay. Manon was her closest friend." Samuru answered.

_Right, Manon is dead… _"So far, do you think she is doing fine without Manon?" Nao asked.

"I think so. She is still in the process of moving on." Samuru answered.

After that, Nao continued setting up the table. After a few seconds, he was already done. He looked at the kitchen. _I think it is best for me to just stay here. _Nao sat down. Samuru looked at him with surprise.

"You are not going back to the kitchen?" Samuru asked.

Nao shook his head. "They are almost done anyway. I might as well just stay here and not get in their way." Nao answered.

Samuru continued. "That's a surprise."

Nao was curious why Samuru said that.

"Why is it a surprise?" Nao asked.

Samuru looked at Nao with amazement. He laughed and decided to stay quiet. This just only made Nao more curious about Samuru's thoughts. He wanted to get Samuru to say what he was thinking. He was about to ask when Hana entered the room.

"Good morning Samuru!" Hana greeted.

She walked to the table and sat down beside Samuru. She was shocked to see Nao with them. "Why are you here? Who is cooking our breakfast?" Hana asked.

"Don't worry about breakfast. Roxanne and Umeko are already on it." Nao answered.

"Why aren't you helping them?" Hana continued to ask.

"They don't need my help." Nao answered.

"How come?" Hana continued with her questioning.

"They seem to be doing just fine without me." Nao said.

"Even your princess, Umeko?" Hana asked.

Nao was silent after hearing Hana's question. _Princess? Why is she saying Umeko is my princess? _Hana saw Nao's speechless reaction. A playful smile formed on her face. "Something happened. I am going to get to the bottom of this. Hihihihihi!" Hana claimed.

After that, one by one, people came. Eri was the next to come with her teddy bear, Honey. She greeted everyone with Honey. The next person to come was Takashiro. Takashiro greeted everyone with his puppet, Tori-chan. Unexpectedly, Mako came.

Mako's eyes were puffy probably from crying. They sat near to Nao and greeted everyone. "Good morning…" _Obviously, they are still grieving over Jitsunori's death. _Nao turned to him He put his hand on their shoulder.

"We are just here if you need someone to talk to." Nao said.

Mako simply nodded.

After a few moments, Asuka and Umeko went out of the kitchen with their breakfast. Everyone was excited when they saw the pancakes and the milkshakes the two girls made. Asuka made different milkshakes. There was a milkshake that chocolate drizzle. There was one that had this pink drizzle on top of it. And, there was one that had caramel on it.

"Those look delicious! I can't wait to eat one!" Hana shouted.

"These are delicious! I was the one who made it!" Asuka shouted.

"You did? But they look so dainty." Hana teased.

"What the fuck are you trying to say? I can be dainty from time to time." Asuka shouted.

People laughed. "Yeah right! Dainty as poison ivy!" Hana joked.

Asuka just rolled her eyes. She randomly distributed the milkshakes. Nao got the caramel one. He took a sip of it. He immediately loved it. "This is coffee caramel!" Nao shouted.

Asuka turned to him and said, "That's right! I made a chocolate milkshake, a mixed berry milkshake, and a coffee caramel milkshake!"

Hana looked at Nao and said, "You love coffee, don't you?"

"Yes, I do! I love coffee so much that my most favorite dessert is coffee jelly!" Nao said.

Eri suddenly jumped into the conversation. "Is this…coffee caramel as well?" Eri asked.

"Yup!" Asuka answered.

"Is anyone willing t-t-to exchange milkshakes with…me?" Eri asked.

"Why?" Takashiro asked.

"I am allergic to coffee." Eri answered.

"Oh! If that is the case, we could swap milkshakes. Mine is mixed berry if you don't mind." Takashiro offered. Then, the two swapped milkshakes.

After that, Umeko finally sat down. It was obvious she was reluctant to sit beside Nao. Nao just shrugged it off and tried to act like everything is normal. Everyone started eating. After a few minutes, someone opened the doors. Everyone stopped eating and looked at the door. It was Norio.

Norio walked towards the group and sat in between Nao and Mako. Norio looked at the table and saw the food. "So this the breakfast for today." Everyone was still shocked to see Norio sitting with them.

He looked at everyone who was staring at him. "What? Am I not allowed to join you guys to eat?" Norio asked.

Umeko was the one to reply first to Norio. "Sorry! We just did not think you would join us for breakfast."

Hana added, "Why are you joining us all of a sudden?"

Norio snappily answered, "I thought it would be better if people see me so that no one will be suspicious of me. Would you rather me not join you guys?" Everyone was still taken aback by his sudden appearance. People were clearly weirded out by this. Nao decided to say something.

"Finally! We are complete! Let's just continue with our meals. It is not like this usually happens." Nao said. He looked at everyone. Everyone went back to eating. Nao was saddened thinking of what he said. _We are complete but there are only nine of us left. Only one more than half of our original number._

Nao stood up to get Norio a plate and utensils. He grabbed a set from the kitchen and gave it to Norio. "Thank you!" Norio said when Nao handed him the plate and utensils. The group continued to eat.

The group had their breakfast like they normally would. Hana would make up some jokes. Asuka was extra loud today. She definitely received some eye rolls mainly from Norio but it did not bother her to behave. Samuru acted like Asuka's parent. Takashiro tried to lighten up the mood with his puppets.

Nao was happy with what he was seeing. _At least everyone is having fun, right? _Nao turned to Norio who looked stoic. _What did I expect from him? _After that, he turned to Umeko. At the exact moment, Umeko looked at him as he looked at her. They immediately averted each other's gaze.

_What is this? What is our problem? We are acting weird. Too weird! _Nao tried to brush it off and went back to listening to the conversation at the table.

"Eri, when we get out of here, you better make me a fucking plush that looks like me. It will be a great merchandise!" Asuka said.

"Sure… I think I can make a d-d-draft already." Eri said.

"Awesome!" Asuka said.

In the middle of their conversation, Norio decided to butt in. "Your plush sounds nice but can we talk about something important?" Norio said.

It definitely killed the light atmosphere in the room. "What is more important than my plush doll?" Asuka asked.

"A new room was unlocked." Norio said. Everyone was shocked to hear this except for Nao and Umeko. The two knew what Norio was talking about. It was the file storage room.

Samuru was the first to respond. "What room are you talking about?" Samuru asked.

"The door near the front desk was opened by these two." Norio pointed at Nao and Umeko. Everyone looked at them with confusion.

Nao was the one who explained everything. "Umeko and I opened the door with a password."

"Password? How did you figure out the password?" Hana asked.

"Remember the code we found in the computer lab? We were able to decode it and figure out it was meant as a passcode." Nao answered.

"What is the password?" Samuru asked.

"0016" Nao answered.

"Why did you only tell us about this now?" Samuru continued.

"We keep forgetting to tell you guys because a lot of things keep on happening. First was your match with Reyes. Then, the murder happened." Nao answered.

"We should go there and check it out." Samuru said.

Umeko finally spoke. "Don't bother. There is nothing in there that important. It only contained files of previous students of this school. There is only one folder that caught out attention."

"What is it?" Eri asked.

"Nao has it." Umeko said.

"Oh right, it's in my room. Wait here, I will get it." Nao said.

Nao stood up and left the room. He quickly went to his room and grabbed the folder. As soon as he got it, he went back to the cafeteria with the folder. He put it on the table. Norio was the first to grab the folder.

"Our class folder…" Norio said.

"That's what it says." Nao replied.

Norio told the group what it contained. "It has our files with our grades on it. Why do we have grades?" Norio said. After he was done, he passed the folder around. Everyone was shocked to see their files.

"What? My average is 93.6. I never got a grade that high in my life!" Asuka said.

After everyone was done, the folder was given back to Nao. Nao continued. "It's not just that. We supposedly have another classmate." Nao put out a file from the folder. It was Isamu Hiroshi's.

"He should be our classmate. According to this folder, he is the Ultimate Prison Warden. Does his name ring any bell?" Nao said.

Samuru suddenly interrupted. "Isamu Hiroshi… I think I know him."

"You do?" Nao asked.

"Yes! Because of our line of work, I think we have met before. He sent me his prisoners who were up for execution. He is just our age just like the file says. From what I can recall from our brief interaction, he is kind but awkward."

"What do you mean by that?" Norio asked.

"He once tried to talk to me about a game. I just did not understand what he was trying to do so I just looked at him. He was extremely awkward." Samuru answered.

"Where could he be?" Nao asked.

"Well, wherever he is, I hope he is not in a situation like ours. Nobody deserves to be locked up like us." Hana said.

"We also have an adviser named Kioshi Sadao. Does anyone know who that is?" Umeko asked.

Everyone had no idea who their supposed adviser was. Because of that, they moved on to a new topic.

"I was going to open a door with the same keypad in the basement last night but Monokuma banned me. He made a rule just to make sure I can't open it." Nao said. He showed everyone the new rule.

"It looks like Monokuma has some secrets he wants to keep hidden." Norio remarked.

"I wish I know what is behind it." Nao said.

"It must be something too important for us to mess up." Hana said.

"Ooohhh! Maybe we can make a bomb and blow the place up to open it." Asuka suggested.

Norio chuckled. "That's dumb! Before you could even lit the bomb, Monokuma, for sure, would have your ass gunned down or something. Plus, how can we even get there? The only way to get there only appears whenever we have a trial." Norio told the group.

Everyone was silenced by this. It was clear everyone was stumped with what they can do with their newfound information. Norio broke the silence by saying, "At least we have something new."

After that, everyone went on with their day. Even though there were only so few of them left, they still hung out with their own groups. Eri and Takashiro isolated themselves from the group. Asuka and Samuru went out of the cafeteria to check the new room. Mako went straight to their room. Hana was all alone while Norio was sitting silently looking at everyone. Nao and Umeko stood up at the same time.

The two looked at each other and said, "I'll wash the dishes."

"It's alright! I can do it." Umeko said.

"I'm also okay with doing it." Nao said.

The two just stood there silently not knowing what to do next. It was awkward just like how they were earlier. Norio broke the silence when he said, "Why don't you two just wash the dishes like you normally would."

The two looked at each other after Norio suggested. Nao sat down and let Umeko clean up the table. She went to the kitchen with the dirty plates and left Nao alone with Norio. Nao was silent. Norio could not help but say something about it.

"You two are awkward. What happened?" Norio blatantly asked.

_Of course, Norio noticed it. What else can I expect from him? _Nao turned to Norio and said, "Is it that obvious?"

Norio chuckled and said, "Anyone with two perfectly functioning eyes can see that there is something wrong between the two of you. Something definitely happened. What is it?"

_Is there really any use hiding this from him. He will eventually find out. _Nao reluctantly shared what happened to him and Umeko. "Last night after the trial, we stayed here and talked about the trial. Then… something happened."

Norio immediately said, "Did you two kiss?"

Nao quickly turned beet red. "I did not kiss her, ok! She was the one who kissed me!"

"Does it really matter? Based on your reaction, I am guessing it was lips to lips." Norio said.

Nao was turning redder. "Of course it does!"

"Did you stop her?" Norio asked.

"How can I stop someone from kissing me?" Nao asked.

"Well, did you want her to stop kissing you?" Norio continued to ask.

Nao could not say anything. He silently embarrassed with his whole face red. Norio chuckled seeing Nao's reaction. "I hope that made things clear for you."

Norio stood up and continued with, "I am going to join Asuka and Samuru. You might have missed something." After that, Norio walked out of the room. Nao was left silently sitting with his face still red.

After a few seconds, someone sat beside him. It was Hana.

"Is it true?" Hana asked.

"What?" Nao asked.

"What you and Norio were talking about! Is it true?" Hana continued to ask. _Not Hana… Out of all people who could have heard it, why did it have to be Hana? _Nao looked at Hana who was all giddy from what she overheard.

"Yes…" Nao weakly said.

"Yes?" Hana said.

"Do you really need me to say it again?" Nao asked.

"OMG! It is true! Ahhhh!" Hana shouted. She jumped up and down feeling giddy about hearing Nao's confirmation.

"How did it happen?" Hana asked.

"Do you really need to know the details?" Nao asked.

"Yes!" Hana answered.

Nao told her how everything went down. Hana was definitely happy hearing his story. After Nao ended, Hana said, "That was so cute! So are you two a couple now?"

"Have we been acting like a couple to you?" Nao asked.

"You two are so awkward with each other. What is up with that?" Hana said.

"After that kiss, we are so awkward. I could not even look at her or talk to her properly. We can't even have a proper conversation!" Nao said.

"Well, did you say anything to her after the kiss?" Hana asked.

"No… She just looked at me and left." Nao said.

"What! You did not do anything? No wonder you two are so awkward with each other!" Hana said.

"What should have I done then?" Nao asked.

"Come on! Really? You don't have any idea?" Hana asked.

Nao shook his head.

"Tell her what you feel about her! It is awkward because she has no idea what to do! Does she act like a friend, a girlfriend, or a stranger?" Hana said.

"Is that what I should have done?" Nao asked.

"Yes! Dummy!" Hana said.

_I should be honest with Umeko. What do I want to say to her? _Nao thought about it. He was deep in his thought. Suddenly, he smiled which showed Hana he knew what to do.

"Imagine I am Umeko. Tell me what you want to tell her right now." Hana said.

Nao was taken aback by this. "Why should I tell you?" Nao asked.

"Practice!" Hana said.

Nao stood up and told Hana, "Thank you but I don't think I can do it." Hana was confused by this. Before Hana could say anything, Nao walked away from her and went out of the cafeteria. _I appreciate Hana's advice but I can't tell her what I want to say to Umeko. It is only for Umeko to hear. I need to get away from everyone. I need to clear my head._

He went straight to the gymnasium where he thought no one would be there. He opened the door and saw someone jogging around the gymnasium. "Mako!" Nao greeted. He went straight to the bleachers and sat down to think.

_Umeko, I… I… I… Fuck! I can't say it! Should I really say it if I can't even say it? This is so stressful! _Nao was so deep in his thoughts that he did not realize Mako was already in front of him. Mako tapped him on his shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?" Mako asked.

Nao looked at them. Mako sat beside him. "What is your problem?" Mako continued to ask.

"It is nothing really." Nao answered.

"Nothing? But you are so deep in your thoughts. It is definitely something." Mako answered.

"What about you? Why are you here?" Nao asked.

"You really don't want to talk about it, do you?" Mako said.

Nao stared at the center of the gymnasium.

"I answer your question. You answer mine. Deal?" Mako said.

Nao simply nodded.

"I can't stay in my room. It is too quiet. I can't sleep." Mako said.

"Why?" Nao asked.

"Because all I could think of is Jitsunori." Mako answered.

Nao said, "You two were really a great couple."

Mako immediately said, "Couple? We could not even say our feelings for each other."

Nao turned to Mako and said, "You never told him you like him?"

Mako shook their head. "I didn't… and I regret every bit of that fact…" Mako suddenly teared up. He continued speaking. "I knew how much I meant to him. I hope he knows what I truly feel for him. I hope he knows I love him. I wish I said to him how much I love him! I really wish I could tell him right now that I love him. But I can't… because he's gone. He is gone."

Nao tried to console Mako. "I am sure Jitsunori knew what he meant to you." Nao said.

"I really hope so. Nao…" Mako looked at him.

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"If you ever fall in love with someone, tell them you love them every time you can because you never know when the next opportunity to say it will come." Mako said.

It pierced Nao straight to the heart. _Mako is really going through it all. _

Mako wiped his tears. Then, they turned to him and said, "Now that I have answered your question, it is time you answer mine."

Nao took a deep breath before answering. "I was thinking of what to say to Umeko actually."

"Why?" Mako asked.

"She… she kissed me last night and I did not say anything." Nao answered.

"You did not tell her how you feel." Mako added.

"Exactly. I don't know what to say and how to say it." Nao continued.

"Do you hate Umeko?" Mako asked.

"What?" Nao asked.

"Do you hate Umeko?" Mako repeated himself.

"Of course not! I can't possibly hate her." Nao answered.

"Is she a friend to you?" Mako asked.

"Yes…" Nao answered.

"Is that what you really want to say or is that what you think you should say?" Mako asked.

Nao could not say a word.

"Just tell her what you really want to say. I am sure she can handle it. She confessed to you. That has to mean she is ready with whatever you have to say." Mako explained.

"You really think so?" Nao asked.

"Of course! Tell me what you want to tell Umeko right now!" Mako said,

"You too?" Nao said.

"What do you mean by that?" Mako asked.

"Hana told me the same thing. She said I should tell her what I think of Umeko. I can't!" Nao said.

"Why not?" Mako asked.

"Because I want to tell it to Umeko, not to you guys." Nao answered.

"I understand. I just want you to say it because I want you to hear yourself." Mako said.

"What will that do for me?" Nao asked.

"It will make you more firm with what you feel. Try it!" Mako said.

Nao was hesitant. "Should I really do it?"

"Go for it." Mako said.

Nao took a deep breath. "I… I… I…"

"You what?" Mako asked.

"I like her, okay! I like her a lot! I just can't say it because I don't know how to tell her. I don't know if it was real. I thought it was something else. I am so bad at this, aren't I?" Nao said.

"You are!" Mako said. The two quickly laughed about it. _I can't believe I said. I said I like her. Am I really doing the right thing? This is my first time and I don't know what to do._

"So, you really like Umeko." Mako said.

Nao suddenly blushed. Mako laughed seeing him turn beet red. "Good luck with whatever happens to your confession."

Nao stood up and looked at Mako. "Thank you for the advice."

"Oh, it's nothing! Go tell her!" Mako said.

Nao was about to leave the gymnasium when Monokuma suddenly spoke through the audio system. "Hello! Everyone, proceed to the gymnasium, immediately!"

Nao stopped and looked at Mako. "It looks like me confessing will have to wait."

"I hope it is nothing bad." Mako said.

"When did Monokuma ever announced something good?" Nao replied.

After that, the two got off the bleachers and went to the center of the gymnasium. One by one, people came in. Everyone was readying themselves for anything Monokuma might throw at them. _I can't let Monokuma manipulate me. I won't let another murder happen again._

* * *

**That is for this update! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**What do you guys think of this new chapter? Tell me through the comments.**

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**Anyway, thank you so much for reading again!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	31. Round And Round We Go 2

**Hi guys! I hope you will enjoy this!**

* * *

The remaining nine students stood in the middle of the gymnasium waiting for Monokuma's announcement. Nao stood beside Norio who looked worried about their situation. _I never saw Norio like this. _Norio was standing in his usual posture. However, his eyes stared at the stage with such intensity he had never seen from him before.

Because of this, Nao decided to check up on him. Nao slowly approached Norio. He tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Hey, is everything alright?"

Norio turned to him. _Should have I just let him be? _He was scared of Norio. He thought he should have left him alone. After a few seconds, Norio took a deep breath. And just like that, his expression changed. It went back to his usual laid back self.

Norio finally answered, "Sorry if I stared at you like you did something wrong. I am just worried about this whole thing."

"Why?" Nao immediately asked.

"This is definitely going to be a new motive. I am just worried about how quickly everything is happening." Norio explained.

Nao agreed with Norio's points. _He is right. I think this is the first time Monokuma will be giving us a motive this fast. Monokuma must really have something big in store for us. _After that, Nao just stood in silence beside Norio.

Nao observed the group and everyone looked worried about this new announcement. Asuka was with Samuru and Hana. Umeko was trying to comfort Eri and Takashiro while Mako was standing all alone. _I hope they are ready for anything._

After a few minutes, Monokuma finally appeared. He was on the stage. Then, he hopped on to the podium. This caught everyone's attention. All quieted down and was ready to hear whatever Monokuma has to say to them.

"Hello students! Congrats on surviving your third trial! Woohooo!" Monokuma greeted the students with a smile. He took out a party horn and blew it like there was something to celebrate. Although his approach to the students was warmer than he would normally do, all he got was silence and eye rolls.

"Wow! You guys are such a tough crowd. I thought it would make you happier. At least I tried." Monokuma said as he threw the party horn to the side.

Monokuma continued, "Anyway, I called you guys here for your new motive! Are you guys excited?"

_Here it is… The new motive… What will it be this time? Is it going to be another video? Is it going to be another threat? Monokuma could present anything. I need to be ready. _Nao looked at Norio who was intently listening to Monokuma.

"What is it this time?" Samuru shouted.

"Oooohhhh! We have an enthusiastic one over here!" Monokuma said.

Samuru did not respond and only stared at him. "Sheesh! You could kill with your stare. Well, if you really want to know, follow me!" Monokuma jumped off the stage and walked right past the students. Monokuma turned around to look at the students who were just standing around.

"What are you waiting for? Follow me! We don't have all day!" Monokuma said. After that, he walked out of the gymnasium. Everyone immediately followed. Monokuma was leading them forward. They went past the cafeteria. They were now in the hallways that lead to a locked door.

_Is Monokuma leading us to that locked door? _Nao looked at the walls. He noticed the previous marks he took note of were covered with posters. The posters used an orange and white motif. It showed several kinds of rides. _What are these posters?_

The group finally stopped in front of the previously locked door. Now, the simple wooden door was decorated with two clown masks. Its border looked like a circus tent. On top of the door was signage saying "Welcome to Monokumaland". Beside the door was a screen. It displayed:

* * *

Number of Visitors:

0

* * *

_What is this? What is he up to this time? _Nao thought as Monokuma scrambled to open the door with his keys.

"Is this the key? I hope this one fits!" Monokuma said as go through the keys he has.

After a few seconds, he finally opened it. He turned the doorknob and opened the door. When he did, he said, "Ta-da! Welcome to Monokumaland! The land where anything is possible, even murder!"

Monokuma stepped in. Everyone soon followed. Nao and Norio were behind the group and saw how everyone rushed in to get inside. Nao immediately noticed something. The number of visitors increased as people pass the door.

"A counter… Interesting…" Norio commented. _I guess I was not the only one who noticed this. _The two joined the group. The first thing they saw was the place they were standing in. They were on some kind of waiting station. The floor was made of wood with blue chairs. On the wall was a map of the place.

Nao took a look at the map and immediately said, "Wow! This place is huge!" It contained several humungous rides. There were different stalls as well. He also noticed there were lines connecting every important destination to each other. There were three different colored lines. There were green, blue, and violet lines.

Nao looked at the bottom of the map and noticed there was a legend. It says that green means 2.5-minute travel time, blue means 5-minute travel time, and violet means 10-minute travel time. _Travel time?_

Monokuma suddenly called everyone's attention. Monokuma was standing near the edge of where they were standing. Behind him was an orange toy-like train. It was decorated with paintings of several animals.

"Welcome to Monokumaland where anything is possible, even murder. This is your new motive!" Monokuma shouted.

"How can this make us kill?" Hana asked.

"Oh, you'll see in a sec. I will be touring you today! Quick note, if you want to go to a destination, just push this button…" Monokuma said. Monokuma was pointing at a stand beside him with a gold button on it.

"Immediately, a train will come to be your ride. If you will step on the ground, this will happen." Monokuma said as he flung his party horn. As soon as it hit the ground, the ground exploded. Dirt and rocks flew towards them. Everyone took cover behind the chairs.

"So, if I were you, just take the train, okay?" Monokuma said.

_The ground is filled with land mines. That is scary. One wrong step and I could die. _Nao took note of this. After that, Monokuma told everyone to get inside the train. Each cart can only accommodate three people. Everyone quickly went in.

Inside the first cart were Asuka, Hana, and Samuru. The second cart has Eri, Takashiro, and Mako. The last cart has Nao, Norio, and Umeko. Norio was sitting in between Nao and Umeko. It was extremely silent. They were lucky it was Norio who was with them. If not, anyone would have commented on how awkward the atmosphere was.

After everyone was settled in, the train started moving. Nao looked outside of the cart. He looked up and took note of the shape of the ceiling. _Its concaved. I think this carnival is in some kind of dome. _

The travel was not that long. The train stopped at their first destination. Everyone got off the train and stepped onto the first station. In front of them was a carousel.

The carousel was huge. It looked like it was made of porcelain. The ride had twelve unicorns and a carriage to sit on. The unicorns were white with its mane painted like dripping gold. Its horn was made out of diamonds. Its hooves are made of silver. The unicorn can accommodate one person. On the other hand, the carriage can accommodate two people. It is spherical with its outside painted in white and decorated with diamonds. The wheels are made of gold. It has two unicorns attached to it by a golden leash.

"This is the 18-Karat Carousel. This is made of 18 karat gold, crystals, silver, and thousands of diamonds. If you want to know what it is like to ride on a unicorn, this ride is for you! Also, for your information, this ride is very expensive. So, if I were you, you better not do anything to this! Each round lasts for ten minutes." Monokuma said.

After looking at it, the group went back to the train and went to the next ride. Although they are still far from the next destination, the students could already see it. It was a huge gray cube. Once they arrived, the got off the train and looked at the giant cube.

In front of them were several doors made of wood. Painted on the doors were several splatters of what looks like blood. Above the doors is a giant sign that says "The Underbelly". The walls were painted with different graffitis. Posters of numerous eccentric-looking killers were also pasted on it. There was rat-like animatronics that scurried near the doors.

The group was silently looking at the attraction. Suddenly, a scream came from the cube.

"Mister, please don't kill me! Please! Someone! Help me! Mommy! Daddy! Aaaahhh!" A girl screamed in pain inside the cube.

After hearing this, everyone suddenly tried to go inside to help the girl.

"A helpless little girl is in there! We have to help!" Mako shouted.

Samuru quickly ran. He was about to enter when Monokuma quickly stopped him. Monokuma stood in front of Samuru.

"Stop right there!" Monokuma said.

Samuru grabbed his ax. "What kind of evil is this? How dare you hurt a helpless little child!"

He was ready to swing it when Monokuma said, "It's not real. It's just audio we use for the attraction."

Samuru stood down after hearing this. Norio quickly asked, "How did you get that audio?"

Monokuma did not bother to answer him and went on with the tour.

"Welcome to The Underbelly, the most dangerous part of Monokumaland! It is the hideout of the most dangerous people in the world. It is teeming in deranged serial killers, heartless mafias, hungry cannibals, selfish thieves, armed terrorists, and-" Monokuma looked at Eri. "-pedophiles."

"Oh, that's just gross!" Umeko said.

Monokuma giggled and continued. "If you go inside, you will find yourself stuck in a maze made of different areas such as dirty alleys and bloody dumpsites. If you want to see who can get out of this maze first, you can enter different doors and race to the other end of this maze. But don't worry! If you can't get out of the maze after thirty minutes, a special person will appear and help you to get out."

_This is a horror house on a whole other level. I doubt I will enter that maze._

After that, the group went to the next attraction. The group was brought to a Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel was ginormous. It had a white sleek design. It had ten carts. All of the carts had a number painted on its doors. The cart nearest to the ground was painted "1".

_That is one huge Ferris wheel. I wonder how this works._

After a few minutes, Monokuma decided to continue the tour. "This is the Eye in the Sky! This is the best place to have a sweet intimate moment with your loved one." Monokuma stopped and looked at Mako mockingly. Immediately, Monokuma continued. "The carts load and unload for five minutes. After loading every cart, the wheel will start to rotate. The ride approximately lasts for ten minutes."

Everyone was amazed by how it looks. _It does look nice. I wonder how it would be like to ride one. _Instinctively, Nao looked at Umeko who was happily staring at the wheel. _I wonder if she would want to ride it with me._

After that, the group went back to the train. Nao and Norio were first to enter their cart. After a few minutes, Mako appeared.

"Hi guys!" Mako greeted the two.

"Hi Mako! What are you doing here?" Norio asked.

"Umeko said she wanted to do the tour with Eri and Takashiro." Mako explained.

Mako sat beside Nao. They nudged Nao and said, "She was definitely awkward in here, wasn't she?"

Nao nodded. Mako said, "Don't worry! You will have your shot with her."

"Thanks, I guess…" Nao said.

The train began moving. They were off to the next attraction. It did not take long for them to get to the next ride. The group got off the train and saw what the next ride was.

In front of them was a ring with a marble floor. Inside were twenty teacups. Each teacup was designed differently. There were some that had animal prints while others were painted with floral patterns. Some looked like they were embellished with gold while others looked like they were made with clay. However, each teacup had a chip on its brim and was on top of a blue plate.

Monokuma shouted, "Welcome to the Mad Hatter's Spinning Teacups! Just like the mad hatter, these teacups will drive you nuts as it spins you until you vomit your afternoon cup of tea. It is a ride you would not want to skip! The ride lasts for 10 minutes."

_It looks like the simplest attraction so far. I think it would be a great ride to just want to have fun._

After that, the group went back to the train and went to the next ride. The ride did not take long to reach the next attraction. The next one had a huge roller coaster. The track was dark blue. It was long and makes three loops. The carts looked like a space shuttle. It was white with black windows painted on it.

When the group arrived, the roller coaster was activated. It was fast and looked dizzying as it did the three loops. When it was at the end of its tracks, it slowly stopped. After a few seconds, the ride suddenly starts and would go through the whole track again but backward.

_I think I will vomit if I ever get on that ride. Only the brave would dare to do that. _Nao started feeling queasy imagining himself on the ride.

Monokuma finally started talking about the ride. "In front of you is The Great Space Shuttle! The only roller coaster in the world that will make you feel you are riding in hyperdrive. It is definitely not the ride for the weak. It will challenge your bravery, curiosity, and your stomach's endurance to keep it all in!"

Nobody was really interested in the ride so the group went back to the train immediately. The next attraction that they went to looked like an oval race track. It had tires piled up in the middle. There was a line that says "Start/Finish". There was a line of several miniature cars. The cars were not just any simple cars. They were designed based on several sports cars. It had Ferrari, Audi, Opel, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

_A race track? Seems like it is kind of out of place. _Nao looked at the race track once more. It really felt out of place for him. However, he does not understand why it felt like that to him.

Monokuma continued with his tour. "This is the O-Lane, the only lane where you can scratch sports cars and get away with it without paying. This race track-slash-bumper car ring is the place to let your anger out in style with these expensive miniature sports cars."

_Bumper cars… That actually sounds fun. I would love to play there. _

After that, the group went back to the train to go to the next ride. The next ride looked like a ship. It was big and chocolate brown. Its hull had cannons exposed. The bow had a statue of a siren. Its hair was brown and its tail was emerald green. The ship was suspended from the air. It was swung back and forth. After a few seconds, it made a complete 360-degree swing.

Monokuma immediately continued with the tour. "This is The Tempest! It is a ride that will make you feel seasick without being out in the sea. It does a complete spin and will surely make you feel like you are in the hands of a stormy sea. The ride lasts for twenty minutes."

_I don't know about this ride as well. _

After that, Monokuma gathered everyone. "The next stop will be our last stop! And, it will be the most important stop! I am so excited for you guys to see it! Hihihihihi! Go board the train!"

_It looks like we will be finally seeing the real motive. I hope it is not something too troubling. _Everyone was anxious to find out what their last stop will be. No one was excited to guess what it could be. Even Asuka and Hana were quiet throughout the ride.

The train finally stopped after what felt like years. Everyone slowly got off the train and was greeted by various stalls. Each stall had different games. Nao quickly counted the stalls and saw there were only seven different stalls.

Each stall has a different setup but all had one thing in common, instead of the name of the stall was a picture of what seemed to be the prizes for the games. However, the prizes were not something to be desired. There were bombs, masks, daggers, and tasers.

Monokuma immediately continued the tour. "Welcome to the Isle of Games where you can find the most fun games with the most rewarding prizes. Each stall gives you a unique prize that can only be found here! We have a sleeping gas bomb that can make even an elephant fall asleep! To accompany the special sleeping gas bomb is a special gas mask. We have the universal timer, a device that can be attached to anything and make it operate during a certain time. We have a taser that can electrocute anyone in a mere second. We also have a dagger coated in an extremely poisonous substance that will make anyone drier than the Sahara desert! We also have a special map for a special place! And lastly, the most important prize of them all, a picture that will make you kill to your heart's content!"

Monokuma pointed out a stall that has a polaroid for a sign. For its game, it has three shotguns in front of the stall. There are three targets inside the stall. In front of the entire stall was a huge wheel with numbers on it. It had numbers "1" to "16". It also had "2+15", "3+5", "7+12", and "3+11". However, it had a wedge that was decorated the most. It had feathers and glitters. It said "JACKPOT!"

"Whenever you win this game, you get to spin the wheel. You will get a photo corresponding to the number the wheel lands on. When someone gets a photo, let's say photo 7, no one else can get photo 7. That part on the wheel will be crossed out."

_This motive seems to be easy. All we have to do is not play these games. Monokuma must be underestimating us this time. _Nao was confident no one will kill because of this carnival. After that, Monokuma told everyone to board the train again. They all went back to where they began.

One by one, people got off the train. Before they go, Monokuma had a few more details to share. "A few important things to remember. All rides, except for The Underbelly, only work from 1 pm to midnight but you can enter the rides whenever you want. The Underbelly and the Isle of Games operate 24/7. When you win a prize from the Isle of Games, you may redeem it whenever you want. You don't necessarily have to get it after you win."

After that, everyone exited Monokumaland and went straight to the cafeteria. The group sat down and understood what they were going to do. They will talk about the new motive. Unlike the other times, they were not unnerved by the motive. It did not feel threatening to them. Everyone was relaxed just like how they were earlier.

"That was it?" Hana commented.

"I was expecting something much more…" Takashiro said. He could not find the right term for it.

Norio continued Takashiro's sentence. "Evil?"

"Yes! I thought he would show us something that would make us go batshit crazy!" Asuka added.

"Let's just be thankful it was not as bad as the previous motives were." Nao added.

"We can stop the killings right now if we just don't play those stupid games. Nobody will go to that Isle of Games. You cannot be tempted by what you don't see." Norio told the group.

Everyone agreed with Norio and decided to go with his plan.

"I also want to talk about your daily inventory schedule." Norio said.

"What about it?" Hana asked.

"I think we should adjust it since it looks like everyone is willing to do their part." Norio suggested.

Everyone agrees with this. Norio immediately took charge of assigning the pairs. The pairings were Norio and Mako, Samuru and Asuka, Umeko and Hana, Eri and Takashiro, and Nao and Norio. Norio quickly added that he and Mako will be doing the inventory today. Because of his assertiveness, no one really questioned it, even Samuru.

After that, the meeting was adjourned. People went back to their usual ways. Asuka, Hana, and Samuru were together. Mako went to their room. Norio stayed in the cafeteria as he took a nap. Eri, Nao, Takashiro, and Umeko were all sitting at the same table.

It was completely awkward. Eri and Takashiro tried to shrug it off by talking to each other. Nao wanted to join the conversation but he could not. It was as if his lips were frozen. Umeko was smiling but it was definitely just a front.

Nao looked at her and saw how uncomfortable they were. _I want to tell her what I feel. Maybe that will make everything back to the way it was. But I can't. Not right now in front of these two. I should try talking to her. Maybe that might make the mood better. _

He turned to her and forced himself to smile at her. He was stuttering at first.

"A…A…uhmmm…" Nao painfully tried to talk but there are no words that came out of his mouth. Umeko turned to him. She waited for Nao to speak.

"Yes?" Umeko asked.

This just made things worse. He could not even make a sound, even just a short stutter.

Umeko looked at the clock. She stood up and told the three, "I am going to the kitchen now. It is time to make lunch."

Eri and Takashiro said goodbye. Nao stood up and said, "I'll help…"

Umeko quickly answered, "No need! Uhmmm… Just stay here! I can do everything by myself." Umeko quickly took off leaving Nao standing in silence. He sat down and slumped on the table. He sighed and whispered, "Why am I like this?"

All of a sudden, Takashiro got his attention using Tori-chan. "It looks like someone is having a problem…" Nao looked at him still slumping on the table.

Suddenly, Takashiro used Bon-san. "Shhhhh! Tori-chan… Don't pry on Nao's life."

"I am sorry! You know I like this kind of stuff! So romantic! I want my own lover as well!" Tori-chan said.

"You can have Tsune-kun if you really are that desperate…" Bon-san said.

"I am desperate but not that desperate! I want someone like Nao, dependable and charming!" Tori-chan replied.

Suddenly, Takshiro put out his puppet Tsune-kun. "What is wrong with me? I'm dependable! I am the most dependable out of all of us three!"

"If you are dependable, then Bon-san is warm and bubbly." Tori-chan continued.

"Shhhhh! How did I become a part of your argument?" Bon-san said.

Nao smiled seeing this silly banter. Takashiro stopped once he saw Nao smiling. "Yeah! Finally, he smiled you guys!" Takashiro said to his puppets. He put his puppets back inside his box. Nao sat up straight after hearing this.

After a few seconds, Eri then spoke. "You look so miserable… You can't even say anything to her… I-I-I wish we could do something to help you."

Nao said, "Don't worry about it. It is just something Umeko and I need to talk about."

"You just have to tell her you like her and everything will be alright!" Takashiro said.

Nao was surprised to hear this. "Like her? I didn't say anything about liking her. I don't like her…" Nao tried to hide the truth from the two but it was obvious the two know more about his situation. He decided to drop his act.

"Okay, fine. I like her but how did you guys even find out about my problem with her?" Nao asked.

"It's obvious!" Takashiro answered.

Eri added, "…and Hana t-t-told us everything."

_Of course, Hana had to tell people about it. _"What else did Hana tell you two?" Nao asked.

"Umeko kissed you last night…" Eri answered.

"I guess she did not miss a single to detail when telling you guys my problem." Nao commented.

"You know this is Hana we are talking about. I don't really understand why you would tell her about your problem." Takashiro said.

"She overheard it when I was talking to Norio." Nao said.

"That explains a lot!" Takashiro said.

"When are you going to tell her that…you like her?" Eri asked all of a sudden.

Nao was speechless. He was surprised about how upfront Eri was in asking him about this. After a few seconds, he tried to regain his composure and answered, "I want to tell her as soon as possible but I don't know when the perfect time to say it."

"Why don't you ask her to talk to you in private?" Eri answered.

"Did you see me earlier? I could not even make a proper sentence when I talk to her right now let alone ask her to talk with her in private." Nao answered.

"Why don't you surprise her?" Eri asked.

"Surprise?" Nao asked.

"Yes… What if you prepare something for her in advance? In that way, you will be prepared and she will not be able to run away from you. Prepare a surprise date for her." Eri answered.

Nao was surprised by Eri's suggestion. _I never knew Eri could come up with things like this. _Takashiro quickly agreed with her idea.

"Surprise her!" Takashiro said. He pulled out Tsune-kun and said, "Take the girl out! It is the least she deserves after everything you did to her!"

Nao thought about it. _Well, there is no harm in trying this. _He quickly gave in to the thought of dating Umeko. He agreed to Eri's suggestion. He said to the two, "Fine, I'll prepare a date with her. But, I don't really know what to do…"

"We can help!" Takashiro said. He pulled out Tori-chan and said, "You have me to help you out!"

Nao smiled and was happy to hear there are people willing to help him out. He quickly asked, "What should I even do?"

"Let's start with the basics!" Tori-chan said.

"Prepare a meal for her…" Eri suggested.

"I think I can cook something for her." Nao said.

"Let's make it romantic! You two should eat together alone! It would be so cute if you two have a candlelit dinner! You two only looking at each other giggling as you talk all lovey-dovey!" Tori-chan said.

"You can do it here…We can scatter fake rose petals…Th-th-there should be music as well." Eri said.

Suddenly, two people joined in the conversation.

"If you need music, you can just tell us!" Asuka said as she sat next to Nao. Hana sat beside Eri and Takashiro.

"Uhmmm…What?" Nao asked.

"Music! Hana and I can make music for all of you if you need one!" Asuka said.

"We are one of the best musicians in our field after all!" Hana said.

"What do you need? Punk, heavy metal, alternative rock?" Asuka asked.

Tori-chan replied with, "We are actually looking for something more romantic…"

"A ballad? What for? If you need a tune to have fucking fun, I suggest trying rock!" Asuka continued.

"This is actually for…Nao's date with Umeko." Eri said.

Asuka suddenly got excited. "You are finally going to confess to her after she kissed you?"

Nao was surprised. "You also know about that?"

Asuka said, "Duh! Hana told me everything!"

Nao looked at Hana for an explanation. "I am sorry! I just can't help it! You guys work so well together! I can't contain my excitement for you two!" Hana answered.

"I am so fucking pumped for this! Fine! Whatever music you need, Hana and I will do it!" Asuka shouted.

"What is the plan for your date so far?" Hana asked.

Nao answered, "Just a simple candlelit dinner with music…nothing too extravagant."

"Why stop there? She deserves more than that!" Hana said.

"I say use every cliché trope in every fucking rom-com movies! Watch a movie with her afterward!" Asuka suggested.

"That would be actually sweet!" Tori-chan said.

"I know! You two will definitely be alone! You can use that to make her feel comfortable with you even more before you tell her you like her!" Asuka said.

"Then, for the grand finale, take her to the Ferris wheel! That would be very romantic. Give her a gift! It will be amazing! You two can talk your hearts out in there." Asuka said.

"What should I give her?" Nao asked.

"Something she likes! Obviously!" Asuka said.

_Something she likes… _Nao thought about it carefully. Suddenly, he remembered something and got an idea.

"I think I know what I will give her but I need your help Eri…" Nao said.

"What is it?" Eri asked.

Nao leaned to her and whispered his idea. Eri's eyes lit up hearing this. She was excited about Nao's idea. "Do you think you can do it?" Nao asked.

"Don't worry! I will make it work!" Eri said with full of excitement.

"Good!" Nao said. He smiled feeling good about everything. _I can't believe people are willing to help me out on this. I am so excited to do this. I will make sure Umeko will have fun and I will be able to tell her how I really feel._

Hana quickly teased Nao. "It looks like our loverboy is excited to announce his love for his princess!"

"I am!" Nao said.

Hana suddenly jolted with excitement. "OMG! This is going to be fun! Asuka and I better get going and start making your music!"

Hana stood up and dragged Asuka with her. Eri stood up as well and said, "Takashiro and I will get going as well! I will start m-m-making your gift! Expect it to be done tomorrow!"

"Thank you for giving me this idea of surprising her!" Nao told her.

"Anything for a friend!" Eri said. The two went on. Nao was left all alone imagining what his surprise date for Umeko will be like.

"I hope everything will work out fine!" Nao said as he slumped on to the table again.

* * *

**That is it for this update! I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**What do you think of Monokumaland and the new motive? Who do you think will be tempted to play the games? What do you think will happen with Nao's date with Umeko?**

**If you want to talk about this story, you can join the discord server for this story! The link is on my profile.**

**I really hope you enjoyed reading this!**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	32. Round And Round We Go 3

**I hope you enjoy this update!**

* * *

The day finally came for Nao to confess his feelings for Umeko. He is extremely nervous as he prepares for his big date with Umeko. Luckily, he had people that he could depend on when it comes to preparing for his date. The people who were helping out were Asuka, Eri, Hana, and Takashiro. The four of them were helping Nao in making sure the date will go without a hitch.

Currently, Nao is in the kitchen with Asuka and Hana talking about the music the two girls made for his date. As they were talking, Nao was cooking the meal for his date. Asuka was standing beside Nao while Hana was sitting on the kitchen counter.

Hana had a boombox on her lap with a CD in it. It contained the music the two made. "Hey, I made the arrangement while Roxanne sang and played the instrument. I hope you like it." Hana said. She pressed play and the music immediately played.

As soon as Nao heard the song, he stopped cooking and listened to the song. The music made his heart flutter. It made him think of the date he will be having. It felt like he made it. It encapsulated what he was feeling for Umeko.

He looked at Asuka and Hana and said, "That was beautiful! Roxanne, you can sing like that?"

"Yes but I don't normally do it but Hana over here…" Asuka said and stared at Hana intensely.

"Thank you! It was brilliant!" Nao said.

"Of course! I made it!" Hana jokingly replied.

"No, seriously! It is amazing! It will be perfect for the date! I can't thank you two enough!" Nao said.

"It was nothing Nao! After everything you have done for us, especially in the trials, this is just our way of saying thank you." Hana said.

"Don't mess this up Nao! You two belong with each other! It would fucking suck if you two don't end up together after this date." Asuka said.

"I know… I just hope everything goes according to plan…" Nao said as he goes back to cooking.

"It will! Just be confident! Be like your regular self! Be the Nao she fell in love with." Hana said.

Hana jumped off the counter and put the boombox on it. After that, she and Asuka took the seven packed dinners. "We will be handing this out to everyone and tell them about the date so they don't do anything stupid during your moment with Umeko." Hana said.

"Thank you!" Nao said.

The two left leaving Nao alone. This made him think of what might happen during his date. _Everything needs to be perfect. I need to make sure Umeko knows how I feel for her. She deserves a clear response from me. I can't make the same mistake again. _

Nao continued cooking in silence. He stared at the pots and pans as his mind felt like it is boiling from the pressure of making the date perfect. It was starting to feel too much. He needed to take a breather to relax. _Nao, stop overthinking. You stay like this, you will be the one who will sabotage your date. _

No matter what he did, the pressure kept on eating him. It felt like he was sinking. He grabbed a ladle to stir a pot but he did not really know what he was doing. Nothing was in his mind other than the immense pressure he has, that he put on himself, to make sure the date goes well.

He was starting to panic. Suddenly, the door of the kitchen opened. It was Eri and Takashiro. Seeing the two immediately made him calm down. The two went to him. Eri was the first to speak.

"Uhmmm…Your gift for Umeko is already in the cart 1 of the Ferris wheel." Eri said.

"Thank you Eri and Takashiro!" Nao said.

"It was nothing!" Takashiro said.

Eri looked at Nao with a worrying look. "A-a-are you okay?" Eri asked.

"I am fine! Don't worry about it." Nao answered.

Eri was not satisfied with this answer.

Takashiro immediately said, "Don't bother lying to her. She will eventually make you admit you are not okay. That is what she does when she sees I am down."

Nao was surprised to hear this. Hearing this, he immediately told Eri the truth. "I am sorry for lying. I am not fine. I feel like I will crack under pressure any second now. I want this date to be great and I feel like I will be the one who will mess up everything."

Eri immediately hugs him and says, "E-e-everything will be perfect. You just have t-t-to trust yourself." After that, Eri let go of him and gave him a warm smile. This calmed him down.

"Thanks! I needed that!" Nao said.

Eri smiled hearing this. After that, Takashiro said, "If you need more help, just let us know!"

Nao smiled at the two as they leave the kitchen. Nao was all alone in the kitchen again. However, this time, he is in a more relaxed condition than he was earlier. He was now thinking about the date as something to be excited about rather than something to be pressured by.

He continued cooking the meal for his date. It was only a couple of minutes left before Umeko comes by as she would usually do. After finish cooking, Nao immediately plated the dishes and brought them out.

He went into the cafeteria and saw on a table the things he needed to prepare for his date. He first covered the table with a red tablecloth. Then, he put two candleholders on the table. The candleholders had intricate designs. Each candleholder was coated in gold and can hold three candles. After that, Nao put the petite candles on the candleholders. He lit the candles using the flame torch from the kitchen. When the table was ready, he put the plates and utensils on it. Lastly, he put the dishes on the table.

After that, he turned off some of the lights to make it feel like a romantic candlelight dinner. He went back to the kitchen to get the boombox. He played the music on a loop and sat down at the table and waited for Umeko to come.

Nao knew Umeko might come any minute. He was readying himself. He was practicing in his mind what he will tell her when she comes in. _"Hi!" No, that is way too short! What about "Hey there!"? Nope! That is worse! Maybe I should just compliment her. "Hi! You're beautiful!" That is so cringy! I totally suck at this._

Suddenly, the door slowly opens. Nao's heart started to beat faster and faster as the door opens wider and wider. After a few seconds, Nao saw who it was. It was only Samuru. _False alarm. _Nao let out a sigh after seeing him.

Samuru greets him. "Hi! I am just here to get a bottle of water."

Samuru immediately goes to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. He comes out of the kitchen with one in his hand. Looking at Samuru, Nao immediately thought about how Samuru had been unusually calmer lately.

"Samuru…" Nao said. This stopped Samuru on his tracks.

He turned around to look at Nao and said, "I am sorry if I am bothering you during your date with Umeko. I heard everything from Roxanne. I will leave now."

"No, it's not that! I was just wondering about something." Nao said.

"What is it?" Samuru asked.

"I was just wondering about why you are not taking the lead for the past few days." Nao straightforwardly said.

"I see. Well, I don't have any issue with Norio taking the lead. To me, he seems like a great leader and that is enough for me." Samuru answered.

"I just assumed, after Reyes' death, you would naturally take the lead." Nao said.

"I think I would have if Norio did not join the group." Samuru answered.

"Do you think Norio will handle the role well?" Nao asked.

"I think so. From what I am seeing, he has the natural ability to lead without knowing he is already leading the group." Samuru answered.

After that, Samuru wished Nao good luck and went out of the room. After that, he was distracted by the current situation of their group. _So far, everything seems peaceful. Norio is unknowingly leading us. There have not been any major fights. No one is isolating themselves, even Mako who lost their best friend and lover at the same time. I hope this continues so that no murder will happen again._

Nao's mind was completely occupied by the state of the group when the door suddenly opens. This time, it was Umeko who entered the room. Umeko was shocked to see the room. She looked around and saw Nao who was sitting at the table. The two locked eyes. This completely surprised Nao.

Nao immediately stood up and said, "Hi…" _Seriously! _

"Uhmmm… Hi, Nao!" Umeko said.

Nao immediately went to her and said, "Take a seat." Nao motioned her to sit in front of him. Umeko sat down. After that, Nao took his seat and went with the plan.

Umeko was confused with what was happening. "Nao, what's going on? I have to cook dinner for everyone."

"Everyone has there dinner already. I think it is only us two who has not eaten yet." Nao said.

Umeko looked at the plate of food in front of them. Nao described what the dishes were. "In front of you is a salad made with arugula, cranberries, cucumbers, parmesan cheese, and pecans dressed with balsamic vinegar. We also have a lasagna made with eggplant, fennel, and spinach. And for desserts, we have mint chocolate soufflés. For refreshments, we have a pitcher of mixed berry juice. Everything is vegan."

"They all look delicious." Umeko said.

"Thank you! I cooked everything myself." Nao said.

"Well, you did a great job." Umeko said.

Umeko started serving herself with the food. While she was doing this, she asked Nao, "So, what is this all about?"

Nao suddenly froze. _Uhmmm… What should I say? _Nao immediately, "I just thought we might hang out like this. For the past few days, I noticed we've been so distant from each other. I thought it would be fun to talk to you again like before."

"Like before huh…" Umeko whispered to herself.

Nao did not hear her clearly because of the music. The two were silently eating dinner. It was starting to feel awkward again. _I need to start a conversation with her. I can't let this date go to ruin because I can't talk to her properly._

"So… What have you been up to?" Nao asked. _Not the best conversation starter but it will do._

"Not much really. Whenever I am not the kitchen, I am usually by myself in my room or with Mako." Umeko answered.

"With Mako?" Nao asked.

"Yeah… We've been talking about a lot of things." Umeko answered.

"Things like what?" Nao asked.

"You know…" Umeko said.

"I don't know…" Nao said.

Umeko let out a sigh and shook her head. "Nevermind…"

After a few seconds, Umeko made comment about the music. "What song is this? It's beautiful!" Umeko said.

"I asked Hana and Roxanne to make a song for this. Hana did the arrangement while Roxanne played the instruments and sang." Nao said.

"Roxanne is the one singing?" Umeko was shocked to hear this.

"I know, right? I was shocked to hear her sing something so soft like this. I never thought she could do that!" Nao said.

"I did not know Roxanne has a voice like this. Knowing Roxanne, I never thought someone would be able to make her sing like this." Umeko said.

"It was all thanks to Hana. She must have done something to make her agree in singing this song." Nao said.

"I wonder what it could be?" Umeko asked.

"Hana might have threatened her or something. It is the only way she would have agreed to do this." Nao answered.

"What could have Hana threatened her with?" Umeko asked.

The two continued talking. They were laughing and smiling as they talk back and forth. The two had matching energy to make the conversation lively and never-ending. The two talked about a lot of things. Their topics changed from time to time but they would not realize it because of how much fun they were having. The two continued talked to their heart's content.

Eventually, the two were finished eating.

"Thank you for a great dinner! I had a lovely time eating with you." Umeko said. She stood up and was about to leave when Nao stopped her.

Nao grabbed her by her hand and said, "Where are you going?"

Umeko answered, "Both of us are done eating. I'm going back to my room. Isn't this, whatever you call it, the end of it?"

"Who said it's the end? The night is still young and we are not done yet." Nao said.

Umeko's curiosity was piqued. "What are you planning?" She asked.

Nao stood up and went to her. "Follow me."

Umeko nodded.

Nao started walking while Umeko followed him. The two were silent, unlike Nao's mind. His heart is beating fast. His mind is filled with endless thoughts. He could not believe what is happening right now. _So far, everything is going according to plan. Don't mess this up Nao._

The two climbed the stairs to the second floor. There, they went inside the theater. As the two entered the room, they immediately saw a coffee table near the entrance. On it were several snacks. There was popcorn, chips, and candies.

Umeko turned to Nao and asked, "What are these for?"

"Our snacks when we are watching the movie. Don't worry, everything here is vegan." Nao answered.

"We're watching a movie?" Umeko asked again.

"Yes, any movie you want, we are going to watch it." Nao said.

Umeko suddenly looked around the theater. "It is only the two of us. Is this some kind of movie date?"

"If that is what you want to call it, I guess this is a movie date." Nao answered.

"Earlier, was that some kind of dinner date?" Umeko continued to ask.

"Again, if that is what you want to call it, sure, it is." Nao answered.

"Is this a date?" Umeko asked.

"Sure if that is what you want to call it." Nao continued to answer. Umeko smiled thinking about it. Nao saw this and was happy. _Okay, I should not let this moment go to waste. _

Nao asked her what she wanted. "What do you want?"

"Popcorn please." Umeko answered. Nao took the two buckets of popcorn. The two were about to go find a seat when Nao saw a note on the table. He took it and read it silently. The note contained, "I asked Monokuma to make the room colder so you can offer your jacket to Umeko. DON'T WASTE THIS OPPORTUNITY! –Hana"

Nao crumpled the note and put it in his pockets. He quickly caught up with Umeko. She found a perfect spot for them to watch a movie.

"This spot should do it." Umeko said. The two sat in the middle of the chairs. It was perfect. They were close enough to the screen that they can watch clearly but far enough that they don't need to look up all the time to watch.

The two sat down. Nao turned to Umeko and asked, "What are we going to watch?"

Umeko thought about it. "I want to watch something scary."

"A horror movie… What horror movie?" Nao replied.

"Do you know 'Hereditary'?" Umeko asked.

"I have heard of it." Nao answered.

Umeko suddenly made a huge smile. "We are definitely watching that."

Nao quickly called Monokuma. "Monokuma! We want to watch a movie!" Monokuma quickly appeared. He jumped to the front of the two with a big grin.

"Hello, you two lovebirds! What do you want to watch?" Monokuma asked.

Umeko was surprised by what Monokuma called them. She started blushing. Monokuma snickered quickly continued to tease them. "Are you two on a date? So romantic! I bet you want to watch something as lovey-dovey as you two are right now. I suggest you two should watch 'After' or 'Fifty Shades' to get you two in the mood if you know what I mean. Hihihihihi!"

Umeko was beet red at this point but Nao was not bothered by him at all. He told Monokuma, "We want to watch 'Hereditary'." Nao said.

"Hereditary? Really? Sheesh! Way to pick a movie for a date!" Monokuma commented.

"Could you play the movie already?" Nao calmly asked.

"Weird choice… I guess teenagers are really weird these days. 'Let's watch a horror movie. It will be romantic.' Probably just some weird kink of yours. But since this is a school of no judgment, of course, I can play that movie." Monokuma said. He suddenly disappeared.

"Monokuma really is something." Nao said as he laughed off what just happened.

After a few seconds, the screen opened and the movie started playing. Umeko was excited to watch while Nao was content with watching Umeko enjoy the date. Umeko flinched and screamed and covered her eyes like how a typical person would watch a horror movie. At one point she almost dropped her popcorn.

The movie might have been really scary but Nao did not know. He did not watch the movie. All he did was watch Umeko enjoy the movie. _I wish we met earlier before this shit happened to us. We could have been like this outside this school. _Nao was just happy to just sit there and watch her as time passed by.

While Umeko was watching the movie, Nao noticed she was starting to get cold. She was rubbing her hands and fixed her fabric to cover her more. _I guess this is what Hana was expecting to happen_. Nao took off his jacket and gave it to her.

"Here, wear this." Nao said.

Umeko was surprised by this. "It's alright. I am fine. Plus, you might get cold if you take off your jacket."

"It's alright. The cold doesn't bother me that much." Nao said.

Umeko took the jacket and put it around her. "Thank you!" Umeko said. The two continued with watching the movie. After a few more minutes, the movie was over. The two sat in silence after the movie ended.

Umeko turned to him and said, "Did you enjoy it?" Umeko asked.

Nao answered, "Of course!"

"Good! I thought you were bored because I didn't hear you scream or feel you flinch on your seat. I was thinking I should have picked a better movie." Umeko said.

"I doubt my reaction would have been different if we watched a different movie." Nao said.

"Wow, you must be into horror movies to be immuned from the suspense." Umeko said.

_Whatever movie you picked, I would have just watched you enjoying it. _The two continued talking as they finished their popcorns. Once they were done with their popcorns, Nao stood up and said, "Are you ready for the last part of this date?"

"What is it?" Umeko asked.

"Follow me."Nao said. The two got out of their chairs. Umeko gave Nao his jacket back and took their trash. Nao grabbed the tumbler of candies and chips and went out of the theater. The two were walking. Once they saw trash can, Umeko threw their trash.

Nao led Umeko down to the first floor. They made a few turns to go to Monokumaland.

"Where are we going?" Umeko asked.

"You'll see." Nao said.

The two entered the carnival. Nao quickly pressed the button to call for the train. Immediately, the train appeared with Monokuma as the conductor. He hopped out of the train to greet the two.

"Hello again! It looks like your date is not yet over. Where are you two going?" Monokuma greeted the two.

"Will you take us to the Ferris wheel?" Nao asked.

"You mean the Eye in the Sky?" Monokuma asked.

"Yes, that one." Nao answered.

"Sure, get in." Monokuma said.

The two went aboard the train. In five minutes, they were able to reach the wheel. The got off the train. The wheel just ended a round. It was going to start loading again in a few seconds. When the doors of the cart 1 opened, the two immediately went in.

The two sat beside each other. Nao felt like his heart is about to burst. _This is it, the ending. I can't mess this up. _

The two looked at the interior of the cart. It was white. Even the seats were plain white. Because of that, Umeko quickly noticed something wrapped in a pink Japanese paper on the other seat. Umeko took it and looked at it. She noticed there was a note on it. She took it and read it out loud.

"I hope you will love this. –Nao." Umeko said.

She quickly and carefully unwrapped it. It was a small cube with a spinning handle. Each side was painted with different sceneries of nature with two animals cuddling with each other. On top was a lake with two swans forming a heart. On another side was painted with a scene on a tree where two squirrels are sharing an acorn. There were also two bats upside down cuddling in a cave. The side with the handle had two penguins with a baby penguin looking at the aurora. It also had a painting of two sea turtles all alone in the ocean. At the bottom were two dogs napping on top of each other. The corners of the box were plated with gold. It was made of wood and the handle was color brown.

Umeko turned to Nao and said, "What is this?"

Nao simply said, "Open it."

Umeko slowly lifted the top. On the other side of the lid was a circular mirror. Inside the box were two swans forming a heart.

"Is this a music box?" Umeko asked.

"Turn the handle." Nao said.

Umeko wound up the handle. After a few seconds, the music box started playing. Umeko immediately recognized the song. "Is this 'You're Still The One'?" Umeko asked.

"Yes! Do you remember anything when you are hearing the song?" Nao asked.

"We sang this together." Umeko said.

After that, Umeko joined the music box and sang the chorus. "You're still the one I run to. The one that I belong to. You're still the one I want for life. You're still the one that I love. The only one I dream of. You're still the one I kiss good night."

Umeko looked at Nao and asked, "How did you get one of this?"

"I asked Eri for help." Nao answered.

"She is really great at what she does." Umeko said.

"Do you like it?" Nao asked.

"I love it! It is amazing! I will definitely treasure this. I will make sure nothing happens to this." Umeko said.

"I am glad to hear you like it." Nao said.

Suddenly, it became silent. Umeko was looking at Nao waiting for him to say something. Nao suddenly felt nervous. He knew it was time. _I have to tell her now. This is the perfect time to say it. Just relax. Just say what you have been wanting to say to her Nao. Let her know how much she means to you._

Nao calmed himself down. He took deep breaths before speaking.

"Umeko… I want you to know…" He was starting to stutter because of his nerves. _Just calm down!_

"What is it?" Umeko asked.

"I just want you to know that… that… that…" Nao stumbling with his words.

"You want me to know that?" Umeko continued.

Nao closed his eyes and calmed himself. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and only stared at Umeko's eyes and said, "I have deeply, madly, truly fallen for you."

Umeko was shocked to hear this. She started blushing. Her happiness was too much to hide. Her lips formed a smile. She was silently listening to Nao.

Nao continued, "I have fallen for you. I cannot explain how or why. I just know I did. When you were ignoring me, it felt like I was stabbed in the heart. All I wanted to do is talk to you and tell you how I feel. I want to shout it and make you know that it is not just a one-sided love."

Hearing this, Umeko looked at him in the eyes. "Is this true?" Umeko asked.

"Yes! When you kissed me that night, I did not know what to do. I did not know what to say. All I could do was watch you leave. You did not deserve that so I did all of this to let you know how much you really mean to me." Nao answered.

Umeko suddenly hugged him. "I can't believe this is real! Thank you for all of this!"

Umeko let go of him and the two locked eyes. Nao did not know what he was doing. He let his emotions control. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. The two shared a passionate kiss as they sat in the Ferris wheel.

After they kissed, they just sat in silence. Umeko put her head on his shoulder. She played the music box as they enjoyed the ride. Nao was extremely happy and held her hand. It was silent but it wasn't awkward anymore. It was the silence of two people enjoying each other's company.

Eventually, the ride stopped. The two got off the wheel and went out of the carnival. The two walked down the hallways holding each other's hand. When they reached their rooms, the two said good night to each other and went into their rooms.

As soon as Nao closed his doors, he jumped in happiness and screamed, "Yes!" He was extremely happy. Everything went well. He was still processing everything that happened. He could not believe it really happened.

He sat down and thought about it. _I was able to tell her how I feel for her. She enjoyed every minute. Then, I kissed her. I can't believe what just happened. I would not be able to do this without everyone's help. I need to thank all of them properly tomorrow. _

After a few more minutes, Nao changed into his sleepwear and lied down on his bed. He stared at the ceiling thinking of what happened. Because of what happened, he was still full of energy that he could not sleep. All he could do was think of what could happen in the future.

He wanted to fall asleep but he knew it was impossible. Thinking of ways to make himself fall himself, he got up and sat down. _What should I do? I think I need to let all of this excitement out just to get some sleep. But how?_

He took out his tablet and opened some files. He immediately stopped when he opened a certain file. _I think they can help me. _He got off his bed and went out of his room. He walked to a room and knock on its door. After a few seconds, someone answered the door.

Nao went to Mako. Mako was wearing their sleepwear. However, it was obvious that he has not slept yet. Nao greeted him. "Hey… Can I talk to you?" Nao asked.

"Sure, come in!" Mako said. Nao entered their room. He quickly sat on the floor in front of Mako's bed while Mako sat on their bed.

Mako quickly asked, "What is it?"

"I can't sleep because I just have to let everything out." Nao answered.

"Sure, go ahead! I'm all ears." Mako said.

Nao took a deep breath and told Mako everything that happened. After hearing Nao's story, Mako smiled and said, "I am so happy for you two! You two deserve each other."

"Thank you! I just have to share it with someone and I knew you would be the best person to listen to me." Nao said.

"You two are a couple now?" Mako asked.

"Yes!" Nao quickly answered with a smile.

"I am so happy for both of you but at the same time envious." Mako replied.

"Why?" Nao asked.

"I just can't help but wonder what if Jitsunori and I were able to tell each other how we feel for each other. Would we be just like you two right now? Would I be as giddy as you are right now? Will I be able to fall asleep after hearing Jitsunori confessing to me." Mako said.

"You two were so perfect for each other. Jitsunori really fell for you. I promise you that. We talked about how he fell for you a couple of times and every time he talked about you, he was emitting the feeling I am feeling right now. I could just see in his eyes how much he liked." Nao said.

"Thank you! Nao, now that you two are a couple, make sure to make Umeko happy all the time. That is now your responsibility." Mako said.

"Don't worry! That is what I have been planning to do for her, make her the happiest woman I know." Nao said.

"Good!" Mako said.

Nao stood up and said, "I think I was able to let out everything I needed. Thank you for listening to me! I really appreciate it."

"Anytime!" Mako replied.

Mako went with Nao. They opened the door and let Nao out of their room. Nao said good night to them. Nao went back to his room feeling much better. He lied down on his bed again and stared at the ceiling. _I can't wait for tomorrow. _After a few seconds, Nao fell asleep having a pleasant dream for the first time in a long time.

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you enjoyed reading it!**

**What do you think of Nao and Umeko's date? I really loved writing it!**

**It has been a while since a murder happened. I think it is time for another murder to occur. Who do you think will die next? Tell me by answering the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story, join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	33. Round And Round We Go 4

It was already morning. Nao woke up before Monokuma's daily morning announcement. Even though it was still too early for him to be up, he did not care. He was excited to get out of his room and spend the day with Umeko and his friends.

He quickly got off his bed and went to the shower to take care of himself. He took a bath while he happily hummed tunes that made him feel more excited. He got out and brushed his teeth. Even then, he was still smiling from all the happiness he was feeling. After that, he got dressed and made sure he looked presentable. Before he left the room, he grabbed his tablet.

_This is going to be a great day! I could feel it! _He opened his door. To his surprise, Umeko got out of her room at the same time as he did. The two looked at each other with happiness. Their eyes twinkled seeing each other. Instinctively, their lips curved into smiles. _What a great way to start my day!_

The two closed the doors of their room. Nao walked towards Umeko. He immediately greeted, "Good morning! How was your sleep?"

"It's the best I have ever slept since we got here." Umeko answered. Nao was happy to hear that.

He quickly replied, "Same!" The two stared at each other for a moment in silence filling the hallways with their happiness. After a few seconds, the two started walking to the kitchen. Umeko was the one to open a conversation.

"What do you want to eat for breakfast?" Umeko asked.

"Anything would be great." Nao answered.

"I don't think I know how to cook 'anything'. Just tell me what you want and I'll cook it." Umeko replied.

"Anything you cook will surely be great. I would be happy just to be able to eat anything you cooked for me." Nao answered.

"Come on! I am sure you are craving for something. I want to make it up to you for the great date last night. It is the least I can do for the man who gave me the best night of my life." Umeko answered. Nao quickly blushes to hear this. Seeing this, Umeko giggled.

"Just tell me I will cook it." Umeko said as she stopped in front of Nao.

"Well, look at my profile and you will see something." Nao answered.

Umeko quickly pulled out her tablet and opened Nao's profile. She quickly read his likes. She smiled and said, "You want me to make you coffee jelly. Is that all you want me to make?"

"Yes!" Nao said excitedly.

"Can you describe to me what kind of coffee jelly you like?" Umeko asked.

"I like the jelly to have this deep dark taste cut up in cubes while it is submerged in cold sweet milk served in a mug. The taste of it would be enough for me. You can make it vegan so that both of us can enjoy it." Nao answered.

"Got it! I will make the best coffee jelly you have ever eaten in your life!" Umeko declared.

"Can't wait to taste that!" Nao said.

After that, the two continued to walk. While they were walking, Umeko asked, "Why do you like coffee jelly so much? You must love it so much to be in your profile."

Nao quickly answered, "Well, I guess it has something to do with my childhood. My father is always busy because of his work that we rarely get to hang out as a family. But, whenever he was free, he would take me and my mom to this sweets café. I would order anything randomly while my mom would order a slice of cake. My dad would always order a coffee jelly. We would share it together while my mom forces me to finish what I ordered. It was so much fun back then. We would just laugh and eat like we did not have any problem."

"That's how you started to love coffee jelly, from sharing with your father." Umeko said.

Nao nodded.

"That is so sweet. I wish I could see that carefree, always laughing version of you." Umeko said.

"Maybe you might…" Nao whispered. Umeko did not clearly hear him.

"What did you say?" Umeko asked.

"Nothing…" Nao answered.

"No! You definitely said something. What was it?" Umeko asked.

"Just forget it." Nao said.

"Nao Hisoka, tell me what you said." Umeko ordered.

"I will tell you…" Nao said. Suddenly, he ran and shouted, "I will if you can catch me!"

Umeko quickly chased after Nao who was obviously faster than her. Nao swiftly ran through the hallway and reached the door to the cafeteria. He was about to open it when he saw someone was already inside through the door's window. Umeko grabbed him by the arm and shouted, "Gotcha!"

"Shhhh… There is already someone inside." Nao said.

He slowly opened the door and saw Asuka cleaning the cafeteria. "Roxanne, what are you doing?" Nao quickly asked.

"I am just cleaning up from your date last night." Asuka answered.

"Oops! Sorry about that!" Umeko said.

"I completely forgot about our mess in here." Nao said.

Asuka quickly looked at Umeko. She quickly smiled. "Nao, did the date went well last night? Are you two together now? Are you a fucking couple now?"

Nao and Umeko looked at each other. Nao quickly got hold of Umeko's hand and locked it with his. The two smiled at each other as if there was no one in front of them. It felt like they were the only ones in the room.

Seeing this, Asuka quickly screamed. "Aaaaahhhhh! OMG! You really did it Nao!"

Asuka ran to Umeko and gave her a hug. "I am so happy for you two. You two belong to each other! I just cannot explain this happiness for the two of you!" Asuka let go of Umeko and turned to Nao. She punched him on his arm and said, "Don't you ever do anything to fucking make her sad! Don't give her shit less than what she deserves! You understand?"

"That is what I intend to do!" Nao said.

Asuka jumped in happiness. "Yeah! True love wins!"

After that, Umeko asked, "Why are you awake so early?"

"Well, I thought you two might wake up later than you would normally do after the date so I thought I might help in cleaning up the shit from your date and cook breakfast." Asuka answered.

"Thank you! Well, let me help you with the cooking." Umeko said.

"Me too!" Nao said.

"Okay, so any idea of what we are going to cook today?" Asuka asked. After that, the three came up with what they were going to cook. They were quick with coming up with the menu. As soon as they were done talking, Monokuma finally did his morning announcement.

"Wake up! It is a great day to murder someone!" Monokuma shouted through the audio system.

The three continued with their cooking. They have decided to cook quiche, gingerbread waffles, potatoes and mushroom hash, and coffee jelly. Nao took control of cooking the gingerbread waffles. Asuka chose to cook the quiche. And, Umeko decided to cook the potatoes and mushroom hash while she was making coffee jelly.

Nao carefully whipped up stacks of the gingerbread waffles that was so aromatic, the whole kitchen smelled like a gingerbread house. Asuka meticulously made the quiche with tomatoes and asparagus. Umeko first made the coffee jelly. After that, she devoted herself to making the hash. She took her time in chopping up the vegetables.

After a few minutes, the three were done with cooking. They plated up everything and put it on the serving cart along with the utensils. The three went out of the room and saw people were already waiting for their breakfast.

Everyone was already awake except for Norio. Eri and Takashiro were playing with each other just like they would normally do. Mako and Hana were talking to each other. The two were laughing and looked like they were having a playful banter. On the other hand, Samuru was quiet. He had no one to talk to. He just slumped onto the table waiting for breakfast to arrive.

When the three went out of the kitchen, they all stopped what they were doing and looked at the three. Hana quickly shouted, "Roxanne, get over here! We are going to interrogate the two!" Asuka quickly sat beside Hana. Nao and Umeko were left standing in front of everyone.

Eri and Takashiro were giggling. Hana smiled mischievously at the two. Instantly, Nao knew she is up to something and it might not be good. _Why can't Hana just leave us alone? Does she always have to be this naughty?_

Hana cleared her throat and proceeded with her interrogation. "So, how was the date?"

Nao quickly answered, "It was nice."

Hana quickly cut him off and said, "I am not asking you. I was asking Umeko. How was the date with Nao, your loverboy? Hihihihihi!"

Umeko quickly turned red hearing this. She looked at Nao and said, "It was… uhmmm… It was lovely."

"Lovely? Why was it lovely?" Hana continued.

"I enjoyed it." Umeko said.

"Why did you enjoy it?" Hana continued.

"Because of Nao…" Umeko answered. She quickly had a look of surprise painted all over her face when she said that. Hana quickly grinned.

"What did Nao do to you to enjoy last night?" Hana asked.

"Uhmmm… Uhmmmm…" Umeko looked at Nao and did not know what to say. Nao did not know how to respond to Hana as well.

"Ahhhhhh! This is so much fun!" Hana said.

"I am so happy for you two!" Eri said.

Nao and Umeko smiled after hearing Eri.

Takashiro quickly asked, "Is it safe to say you two are already a couple?"

Nao and Umeko looked at each other and smiled. Nao said, "Yes, we are a couple!"

Hana and Asuka quickly screamed in happiness. They jumped up and down in glee. Eri and Takashiro were clapping at the two saying, "You two deserve each other!". Samuru congratulated the two.

"I hope your love for each other will last." Samuru said.

Mako told the two, "I am so jealous right now but I am so happy for you two."

After that, the Nao and Umeko fixed the table and the group and started eating. After a few minutes, Norio arrived. Hana quickly told him about Nao and Umeko. He congratulated the two and quickly proceeded to eat.

While they were eating, Takashiro persistently egged Umeko to tell them how the date went. After a few tries, Umeko finally gave in and told everyone how their date went down. Umeko told almost everything that happened. When she said how Nao offered her his jacket, Hana was so happy.

"Oh my gosh! That is so sweet of you Nao!" Hana said.

"You do know you are the reason why I had to do that?" Nao asked.

Umeko was confused to hear that. "What do you mean by that?"

"I asked Hana to prepare the theater. Apparently, she asked Monokuma to make it colder during our date." Nao answered.

"You helped out with our date?" Umeko asked.

"We all did!" Asuka answered.

"Really?" Umeko asked.

"Mako, Norio, and Samuru promised not to go to the places where you had your date. Roxanne and I made your theme song and prepared the theater. Eri and Takashiro prepared everything in the Ferris wheel." Hana answered.

"You all helped out Nao? Why?" Umeko asked.

"Because we all want you two to end up with each other!" Mako answered.

Umeko was happy to hear this. "Wow! I am so happy right now! All of you did so much to make this happen. We all should have fun! Let's tour Monokumaland this afternoon!"

Takashiro quickly shouted, "Let's do that!"

Quickly, Asuka replied with, "I want to but Hana and I already have plans for this afternoon."

Nao asked, "What is it?"

"We are going to make an album. We had so much fun writing your song that we decided to make an album." Hana answered.

"I also can't go." Eri said.

Takashiro was shocked to hear this. "What? But why? It would be so much fun!"

"I was p-p-planning to make something this afternoon." Eri answered. Takashiro was saddened to hear this.

"Well, if Eri is not coming, I am not." Takashiro said.

"What about you Mako?" Umeko asked.

"I would prefer to just be alone for now." Mako answered.

Umeko turned to Norio. She was going to ask her when Norio suddenly said, "I am not in the mood to ride roller coasters and spinning teacups." _What did I expect?_

Samuru also declined. Umeko was saddened to hear this. She quickly said, "Well, what about tomorrow? Is that okay?"

"I think that will do." Hana answered.

"I th-th-think I can join tomorrow." Eri answered.

"We will be there tomorrow!" Takashiro said.

"Me too!" Asuka said.

The three others still declined the offer.

After that, Umeko continued. "Okay, so it is settled. We will tour Monokumaland tomorrow! Let's start in the afternoon so all of the rides will be available!"

"What should we do first?" Hana asked.

"Let's do the horror house first! It will be so fucking haunting! I am so excited!" Asuka said.

"We are doing the horror house first?" Nao asked. He turned to Eri and asked, "Do you want to do the horror house or is it going to be too much for you?"

"I am going to be fine. I am actually c-c-curious to see what the maze looks like." Eri answered.

After that, everyone agreed to do the horror house first. The group continued planning on what they were going to do tomorrow. Eventually, the group was finished with planning and eating breakfast. Asuka and Hana were the first ones to leave. Mako and Samuru decided to go back to their rooms. Norio decided to away from the rest and took a nap. Eri and Takashiro decided to stay at the table.

Nao and Umeko were clearing up the table when Umeko asked, "How was the coffee jelly?"

"It was delicious! Thank you for making me that!" Nao said.

"Just tell me if you want me to cook anything for you and I will cook it!" Umeko said.

Nao looked at Umeko and asked, "I still can't believe a woman like you fell in love with a guy like me. What did I do to deserve you?"

Umeko just smiled and continued with clearing the plates. When they were done, Nao was going to push the serving cart with the dirty dishes into the kitchen when Umeko told him, "Just sit down. I can handle this."

"No!" Nao answered.

"Don't worry! Just relax and let me do it." Umeko insisted.

"I don't want to." Nao continued.

"Why?" Umeko asked.

"Because I want to do it with you." Nao answered.

Umeko blushed. However, she quickly replied, "No matter how much I love your answer, I don't want you to do anything. I will make sure I will treat you as my king."

"And I want to treat you as my queen." Nao quickly replied.

The two were quickly interrupted by Takashiro with his puppet, Tsune kun. "Get a room!"

"Sorry about that Tsune-kun!" Umeko said.

"Just wash the goddamn dishes!" Tsune-kun continued.

Suddenly, Takashiro talked to Tsune-kun and said, "That is no way to talk to someone. Say sorry first!"

"No!" Tsune-kun answered.

"Why are you so bitter? Is it because Tori-chan does not like you?" Takashiro asked.

"No! Why would I care about that elephant?" Tsune-kun said.

Takashiro suddenly pulled out Tori-chan. "Elephant? Why are you like that? Huhuhuhuhu!" Tori-chan said.

"Why don't we talk about this in the kitchen?" Umeko told the two puppets. Umeko went into the kitchen with the dirty dishes while Takashiro followed her as he continued playing his puppets. Nao wanted to but Eri grabbed his hand.

Nao sat beside Eri and asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Uhmmmm… I j-j-just want to ask you something." Eri answered.

"Sure! What is it?" Nao asked.

"When I was making your gift for Umeko, I-I-I thought I should make a gift for all of my friends here. You guys are my first ever real friends a-a-and I just wanted to thank you all for being my friends." Eri answered.

"That is so cute! What do you want to give everyone?" Nao asked.

"I wanted to make friendship bracelets." Eri answered.

"That sounds nice! I can't wait what mine will be! So, what is the problem with that?" Nao asked.

"Well, I am not sure if everyone will like it. D-d-do you think they will love it?" Eri asked.

"Of course, they will! Is that what you are going to do this afternoon?" Nao asked.

Eri nodded.

"Well, I will definitely love it no matter what!" Nao said.

Eri smiled hearing this. _How sweet of her to do that! _

After that, Eri told Nao, "Go to Umeko and save Takashiro."

"Why?" Nao asked.

"I asked him t-t-to do his puppet thing so I can talk to you." Eri answered.

"Oh, okay! Well, I hope I was able to help you." Nao said. He stood up and went to the kitchen. He quickly told Takashiro Eri is waiting for him. Takashiro said his goodbye and left the two. Immediately, Nao started helping Umeko with the dishes.

The day went on. Everyone did their usual stuff. It was as if they were able to fully adjust to their situation. No one acted like the way did during their first few days stuck in the building. It all seemed like everything is normal. Eventually, the day ended with it being uneventful.

* * *

It was already the day for the group to visit Monokumaland. The group was already finished with their lunch. People were getting excited about their plans. Hana was the most visibly excited. She kept running around talking to people about it. Takashiro used his puppets to verbalize his excitement. While this is happening, Nao and Umeko were cleaning up the table.

Even though everyone was happy, Umeko was slightly sad about something.

"I am so glad we will be able to do this. I just feel bad for Roxanne that she can't come." Umeko told the group.

Hana quickly commented, "Same! She is so unlucky to get a sore throat and migraine all at the same time."

"What happened to her?" Nao asked.

"She must have pushed herself too much yesterday. She really wanted to go. Good thing I was able to make her not go. I know a migraine is not that deadly but, with her condition, she will just hurl up on every ride." Hana answered.

"Let's do this again when Roxanne feels better." Takashiro said. Everyone agreed.

Nao turned to Norio who was still sitting at the table. He asked, "Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

Norio quickly answered, "Yes! I am not in the mood for silly rides."

"Where are you going to stay?" Nao asked.

"Probably here…" Norio answered. After that, he let Norio take his nap while everyone else was noisy.

Hana and Takashiro were talking with each other. While Nao was helping Umeko, he can't help but notice that Eri is uncharacteristically silent. _I know she is one of the more soft-spoken ones in our group but I don't recall her to be this silent, especially with Takashiro around._

He whispered to Umeko, "You can start washing the dishes without me. I'll just talk to Eri for a bit." Umeko immediately went to the kitchen with the dirty dishes and left Nao. After that, Nao sat down beside Eri who was just staring at Takashiro and Hana.

Nao tapped Eri on the shoulder and asked, "Are you alright?"

Eri was surprised by this and quickly looked at Nao. She quickly answered, "Yes, I-I-I'm fine…"

Nao whispered, "Are you done with the bracelets?"

Eri nodded and said, "I have it with me."

"Are you having a hard time giving it to everyone? Is it what's troubling you? It's obvious in your face that you are thinking about something." Nao said.

"It's not that… Uhmmm… But I also want to give these bracelets as well." Eri answered.

Nao was puzzled by Eri's answer. _She has something else on her mind. I wonder what that is but I don't want to bug her. Obviously, she is not comfortable talking about it. Let me help her out a bit with her bracelets._

"Do you want me to help you in giving your bracelets?" Nao asked.

Eri nodded.

Nao turned to the others and said, "Guys, excuse me. I want to say something."

Hana, Norio, and Takashiro looked at Nao and waited for him to speak. "Now that I got your attention, I want to tell you guys that our friend, Eri, made us something."

Hana quickly asked, "What is it?"

"I made everyone… friendship bracelets." Eri said.

"Really! Show it to us!" Hana said.

Eri put out four friendship bracelets. She gave each one to the people around. She first gave Takashiro's. Takashiro's bracelet had pieces shaped like socks dangling. Next was Hana's. She made Hana's with musical notes. Eri also made one for Norio. Norio had dangling briefcase tokens. Lastly, she gave Nao his bracelet. Nao's bracelet had headphone-like pieces.

"This is so cute! Thank you so much Eri!" Hana said.

"Thank you for this Eri! You really are the best!" Takashiro shouted.

"This is so sweet of you Eri! Thank you!" Nao said.

Eri was happy to hear this. She put out the other remaining bracelets. She gave Asuka's, Mako's, and Samuru's bracelets to Norio. She told Norio to give the bracelets to the others when they decided to come here again. Norio took it and put it in his pocket. Eri told Norio which bracelet is for whom. Norio quickly got it and went back to napping.

Nao stood up and was about to go to the kitchen when Umeko came out. She quickly told the group, "Let's go! It is almost one! The rides should be open soon." Everyone stood up and said their goodbyes to Norio.

On their way to Monokumaland, Eri gave Umeko's bracelet which had dangling rose pieces. "This is so beautiful Eri! I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to make this. I don't even know how you were able to make these roses." Eri was happy to hear this.

The group eventually went inside Monokumaland. They immediately called for a train and told Monokuma to go to the Underbelly. Hana, Eri, and Takashiro rode in the same cart while Nao and Umeko were happily alone together in a cart.

Umeko leaned on Nao's shoulder. She whispered, "I am so happy to be with you like this." She took Nao's hand and hold it for the rest of the ride.

Nao then replied, "Me too."

After that, seconds before they arrived at the Underbelly, Umeko said, "I am happy to be with our friends like this as well."

The group got off the train and looked at the Underbelly. It was frightening to just look at it and hear the audio playing. "Whoever gave Monokuma this idea for a horror house did a brilliant job for making one of the scariest horror houses in the world." Hana said.

"Okay, how do we do this?" Nao asked.

"Let's race for it! Whoever gets to the exit first wins while the last person will have to do a punishment!" Umeko suggested.

"Where did you get that idea?" Nao asked.

"Hana and I talked about it earlier." Umeko answered.

"It will be fun!" Hana added.

Nao turned to Eri who was easily frightened by things. He asked Eri, "Are you fine doing this alone or do you want me to join you?

"I will be fine… I can do it…" Eri answered.

"Are you sure?" Nao asked again.

Eri nodded. Satisfied with this, Nao went along with Hana and Umeko's suggestion. After that, everyone picked a door randomly. When everyone was able to pick a door, Hana shouted, "In the count of three, everyone will enter, understood?"

Everyone nodded.

Hana started counting, "1… 2… 3… Enter!"

Nao opened his door and entered the maze. He immediately noticed the dreary wallpaper with mustard and white stripes vertical stripes. There were pieces ripped showing that the wall was a cracked cement wall. Nao continued to walk down the path and saw there were doors along the path. The doors were grey with and their doorknobs are black. The doors also had rectangular windows that would have been able to help Nao see what was inside the room if only the lights of the room were lit.

Nao continued walking down the path. It was eerily quiet. He could only hear his presence. Nothing other than his footsteps made noise. He tried to walk more quietly but it was only making him irritated. After a few minutes, he decided to stop caring.

As he was walking, he noticed there was a room that was lit. He went to the door to take a peek through its window. He immediately saw the room was filled with cameras set up from different angles. All of the cameras were focused at a table that had belt straps. On the table was a severed piece of leg. _What the heck is this? _

Seeing the leg made Nao nauseous. He took a step back and tried to recompose himself. After getting himself back together, he looked at the door again. Suddenly, there was a man looking at him from the other side of the door. This took him by surprise and made him fall to the floor.

The man had a smiling face mask. He had brown hair. After a few minutes, the man opened the door to reveal it was holding in his right hand a red chainsaw. Its blades were dripping in blood. In his left hand, he was holding a bloody duffel bag.

The man quickly threw the bag onto the floor and powered up his chainsaw. This quickly made Nao stand up and run from him. He ran as fast as he could. _Who is that guy? What was he doing in that room? _

He was running following the path. After a few seconds, he turned around to look and saw the guy was holding his chainsaw up charging at him. _What the fuck! Why is he chasing me? _He ran and ran until he was in a dead-end. There was only a door. He struggled to open it as he constantly looked at his behind to check on the mysterious man. Every second pass meant that the man was getting closer to him. He could hear the man's footsteps. He was dripping in sweat when he was finally able to open the door and closed it.

He sat down and tried to calm down. There was a momentary silence as he listened to the other side of the door. Nao could tell that the man turned off his chainsaw and turned around. He let out a sigh of relief.

Now, he looked at where he was right now. He saw himself in a shabby apartment. He was in some sort of living room. The pieces of furniture were torn apart. There was television that only had static on its screen. The walls were plain grey with weird splotches.

He looked around and saw a staircase and decided to use it to go up. He looked around and could hear there was someone in the apartment. Following the sound, he investigated the apartment. He soon found himself near an opened door. He took a quick look and saw a man was making a wall with bricks. The man was nearly finished. Behind the bricks, he could see someone was tied up around their wrist and hung up.

Seeing this, he carefully walked away and searched for an exit. _Am I in a serial killer's apartment? _After a few seconds, he found himself in a room that only had a huge closet. He was staring at it. Suddenly, he heard footsteps going towards his direction. He quickly hid inside the closet.

Inside the closet were dusty jackets and a skeleton. Nao almost screamed seeing the skeleton. He bit his hand to make himself stop. He looked around the closet and saw a small door. He opened it. Without hesitation, he opened it and went inside.

He found himself in a vent. He crawled down the cramped space not knowing where he was headed. As he was crawling, he could hear there were people shouting under the vent he was crawling in. He heard someone smashed a bottle. _A fight is definitely brewing under me and I don't want to be a part of that._

After a few seconds, he found a small hole that let him take a look at what was happening below. He saw men in tuxedos fighting one another. People were bleeding. Some had smashed bottles while others had guns.

Suddenly, a man randomly shot near where Nao was. The bullet could have killed Nao if it passed through the vent. As Nao continued to crawl, more and more shots were fired hitting at the vent. There were times it would surprise him making it hard for him to stay quiet.

After a few minutes, he finally reached the end. There was another small door. He opened it and went in. He stretched after he got out. He looked around and thought he was in a school hallway. There were lockers everywhere.

On the floor, there were sheets of paper everywhere and bloody corpses of students were scattered all over. Nao tried to avoid looking at the dead kids as he made his way through. As he was walking, a shot was fired. The bullet almost hit him. He turned around to find a teen wearing a hoodie and a mask. In his hand was an AK 47. He quickly started shooting at Nao.

Nao immediately ran away. He ran as fast as he could. He could hear the shooter walking towards him. After a few minutes, he found himself in front of a door. Reluctantly, he opened and went inside.

He found himself in a hallway lit by orange incandescent light bulbs. The walls were red with paintings hanging on the wall. The paintings depicted different cuisines. He continued to find himself in a room with a long table. The table had several dishes covered by cloches. The table also had candles lighting the room.

He walked towards the table. His curiosity grew as he stared at the cloches. He opened one to see a decapitated head served on a plate. He was shocked and made him drop the cloches to the floor. Making a loud noise, he heard people coming. He quickly ran to see another door.

He opened it and found himself in a sewer. There was green slime everywhere. Rats scurried freely. The smell was putrid. Nao almost vomited when he stepped on a green slime. He continued walking trying to disregard the unhygienic state of the sewer.

It did not take him long to find another door. He opened it. He was in a dimly lit hallway. It was so dark, all he could make out of it is that he was in a hallway. He decided to stick with the wall and followed it. Step by step, he made sure he was able to touch the wall.

Nao was walking in silence. Suddenly, he heard footsteps from his behind. Because of this, he started picking up his pace. The unknown was unsettling. Even if he turned around, he will not be able to see who is following him.

At this point, he had one of his hands out to feel for a door in front of him. Eventually, he reached a door. As he opened the door, he felt a hand brush on his back. This immediately made him get out of there and walk through the door.

He was in another apartment. It was different from the earlier one but it was as untidy as the first apartment he went in. Thinking there might be another person, he silently made his way around the furniture.

He remembered that the door that leads him out of the first apartment was hidden. This made him believe the only way out of the apartment is in a well-hidden area. He quickly looked around the living room ending up with nothing.

He went next to the kitchen. He opened every cabinet but there were only devices that he was not familiar with. The only thing left to check was the refrigerator. He opened it. Inside was a door. He went inside and opened the door.

He crawled through the door and found himself in a hallway with a familiar wall. It had mustard and white strips. Suddenly, he heard a chainsaw near him. _I am back where I came from. _He quickly ran realizing the crazy man with the chainsaw was near him.

Out of nowhere, the man with the chainsaw appeared. He ran as fast he could. He finally reached another door. Without hesitation, he opened it to find himself in a freezer of some sort. The freezer had several shelves. Each shelf had sealed bags of organs.

Nao did not decide to investigate any further and just wanted to get out. As he was walking, he turned around to find a man wearing a lab coat with a knife in his hand following him. This immediately made him run away to find the next door.

It was freezing making it harder for him to think carefully of what to do. With dumb luck, he was able to find another door. When he opened it, he saw a lounge with two red sofas. Sitting on it was Eri.

Nao quickly ran to Eri. "Is this the exit?"

Eri nodded.

Nao let a sigh of relief and sat beside her. "I can't believe I was able to get out of there. That is one experience I will never want to relive again."

"You got out after t-t-twenty minutes." Eri said.

"I stayed that long inside the maze? I thought it took me longer to get out!" Nao said. Nao looked around the room and saw a huge screen showing how many minutes have passed since they entered.

Nao turned to Eri and asked, "How long did it take you to get out?"

"Seventeen minutes…" Eri answered.

"Wow! That is so impressive! How did you get out so quickly?" Nao asked.

"I d-d-decided to ignore what was inside the rooms and just ran straight on." Eri answered.

"I have so many questions. Everything felt so real, even the people who chased me looked so real." Nao said.

Out of nowhere, Monokuma appeared. "Everything that was moving was animatronics. No one is harmed and intended to be harmed by this attraction. We will just induce fear."

"Why did they feel so real?" Nao asked.

"It's because someone exceptionally gifted made those animatronics!" Monokuma answered.

"An ultimate?" Eri asked.

Monokuma suddenly shut up. He just shrugged it off and said, "There are only less than ten minutes before I rescue the others."

Nao was surprised to hear this. "Rescue? Are you the one who is supposed to fetch us if we stay in there for more than thirty minutes?"

"Yes! Excuse me because I need to get ready in saving your stupid friends." Monokuma said. And just like that, he disappeared into thin air.

The two quietly waited for the others to arrive. When the clock hit 28 minutes, Takashiro got out. He was visibly shaken by the maze. He sat beside Eri and said, "I am never entering this maze again."

Eventually, it was already thirty minutes. _Monokuma will be fetching Hana and Umeko. _Eri told Takashiro about Monokuma fetching the other two. Because of that, he calmly waited. After three minutes, Hana got out.

"I was stuck hiding in a closet. That was not fun, at all." Hana said.

Six more minutes had passed when Umeko finally got out of the maze. "The kid with guns gave me a headache! I could not find the exit because he kept on shooting me!"

"I guess we can all agree that was one of the most stressful things we have done." Nao said.

"What about we go to the Ferris wheel to calm down for a bit. Ferris wheels are peaceful, right?" Takashiro suggested. Everyone agreed and decided to get out of there. They called for a train and went to the Eye in the Sky.

Once they arrived the Ferris wheel was already moving. It was nearly finished when they arrived. After a few minutes, the ride stopped to unload and load new passengers. The first cart to do so was cart #1.

The doors of cart #1 opened. To everyone's surprise, there were already people inside. Inside was Samuru kneeling beside the lifeless body of Ichimako Watadzumi, the Ultimate Lifeguard.

* * *

**Round And Round We Go (Daily Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 8**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 8**

* * *

**That is it for now! **

**We finally have our fourth murder! I want to say thank you to Amaa-chi for giving me a great character to write. **

**Was your guess for the victim right? Who do you think killed our lifeguard? Tell me by answering the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	34. Round And Round We Go 5

**Hi guys! It has been a while! I hope you are doing well with everything that is happening right now! **

**I hope you guys will enjoy reading this! It is time to solve this murder!**

* * *

The fun-filled place of Monokumaland fell into silence as the six ultimates stared at the lifeless body of Mako. None could say anything. No one dared to take a step forward. The excitement of Nao's group to ride the wheel was destroyed when Monokuma rang the announcement.

"Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our school trial!"

_This cannot be happening! We were supposed to have fun today. No one should be dead. Mako was full of energy, but now, they are nothing but a lifeless, silent corpse. _

The silence was shattered when the Ferris wheel audibly stopped. It produced a loud boom when its engine let out a thick cloud of smoke. Everyone's attention quickly shifted to the engine. _What is up with the smoke?_

After a few seconds, the annoying voice of Monokuma popped out of nowhere. Everyone turned around to see Monokuma with Asuka and Norio. The two quickly ran up to the others when they saw everyone else.

Norio was the first to speak. "What happened?"

Eri quickly pointed at the Ferris wheel. The two immediately saw Mako's corpse.

"I did not expect this at all." Norio muttered.

"Nobody did." Eri added.

While the group was still in shock, Monokuma grabbed everyone's attention. "Attention shitheads! I temporarily stopped the operation of every attraction in this place so all of you can do the investigation properly. You will be receiving Mako's autopsy in a minute. Good luck!"

After that, Monokuma disappeared into thin air.

Hearing this, everyone snapped back to reality. _Another murder has occurred. We will be having another trial. I need to focus on the investigation. We need to figure out who killed our dear friend, Mako. _Nao turned to Norio waiting for his instructions.

"We should go to Samuru before we start investigating." Norio suggested. He was the first one to approach the cart Samuru was in. A few seconds later, everyone followed. It was the first time the group saw Mako's body up close.

_At least it looks like a peaceful death, unlike Jitsunori's and Reyes' death. _

Asuka knelt beside Samuru and was the first one to talk to him. "Hey, what happened?"

"I don't know. I am so confused." Samuru simply answered.

Suddenly, everyone's tablet buzzed. Nao took out his tablet and saw that he has Mako's autopsy. _I guess it is time to start investigating. _Everyone opened their tablet and saw a new folder with the name "Case #4: Ichimako Watadzumi" Nao opened the folder and read the only file it has.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #5**

**The victim is Ichimako Watadzumi. The estimated time of his death was 1:29 pm. The victim died from strangulation.**

* * *

_Strangulation? What an interesting choice the killer made… _Nao thought to himself.

After a few seconds, Norio started telling the group what their next course of action is.

"Just like the last trial, let's investigate in pairs. I will pair up with Hana. Nao, go with Umeko. Eri and Takashiro, you two go together. Roxanne, stay with Samuru until his okay to investigate." Just like that, everyone started their investigation.

Nao first approached Umeko to discuss how they will do this. "Let's investigate this cart but after this, I am not sure where to investigate next." Nao told Umeko.

"Let's figure out that after we get everything we can in this cart." Umeko suggested.

After that, the two started looking around the cart. The duo first took a look at Mako's corpse. _This is unexpected. I did not think anyone would kill Mako. Mako is quite athletic. Targeting him is a bold choice._

The two examined Mako's body. They noticed first Mako's position. Mako's body was lying on the ground with their face flat. The two examined the body from their head down to his feet.

Umeko immediately pointed out weird markings on Mako's neck. "Look, Mako's neck is bruised, probably because of the way they were killed. But, look at the bruises. It looked like something was pressed on it. The markings are really prominent around their adam's apple."

* * *

**Fact #2: Mako's Neck**

**Mako's neck was bruised and had weird markings caused by something being pressed on it. The markings are more concentrated around their adam's apple.**

* * *

"Why are there markings like this? This is really out of place." Nao commented. He looked at the floor thinking the floor might have caused the markings but the floor was smooth and did not have any ridges to cause markings.

After that, they continued their examination. The next thing that caught their attention was the bright neon green slime on their back. _Isn't this the slime from the Underbelly? How did they get this?_

* * *

**Fact #3: Mako's Back**

**Mako has green slime on their back.**

* * *

"Isn't this slime from the weird sewer-like part of the Underbelly? Did Mako enter the Underbelly?" Umeko asked. Nao did not know what to answer Umeko's second question.

"It is only the third fact. We might find something else to connect with this later." Nao said.

After that, the two quickly finished examining Mako. There was nothing else to see on Mako's body. The two then turned to Samuru for clues. Samuru was still kneeling silently with Asuka beside him. Throughout this whole time, he has been silent. Because of this strange behavior, Asuka was really worried for her friend.

"Hey! It's alright! Just take your time to process things." Asuka told Samuru.

Seeing this, Umeko sat on the floor in front of Samuru to comfort Samuru. "I know what happened must have been confusing but we need you to compose yourself. Nao and I are going to ask some questions. Can you answer them?" Umeko asked.

Samuru simply nodded.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Nao asked.

"I went to this cart because of this note." Samuru handed them two notes. One note said:

* * *

Meet me at the Eye in the Sky cart #1 at 1:00 pm. Don't say a single word until I start talking.

-Mako

* * *

_What a weird note. Why would Mako instruct Samuru to shut up?_

* * *

**Fact #4: Secret Note**

**Samuru received a note telling him to meet Mako at the Eye in the Sky cart #1 at 1 pm and to not talk before Mako did.**

* * *

Samuru continued. "We both went here together coincidentally. When we got here. We were both silent. I was waiting for them to say something. All of a sudden, smoke enveloped this cart and I fell asleep. I was woken up when I felt something hard pressed on my hand. When I woke up, I was on the floor. Then, I looked at my hand first and saw this."

Samuru put out his hands. The back of his hand was covered in green slime, just like Mako's back.

* * *

**Fact #5: Samuru's Hand**

**Samuru's right hand has green slime on it.**

* * *

"I looked at the door of the cart and saw a person running away from here. I could not clearly see who it was since my vision was still foggy. I must have been still under the influence of the smoke when I woke up." Samuru ended his testimony.

* * *

**Fact #6: Samuru's Testimony**

**Samuru went to The Eye in the Sky with Mako. The two were silent the whole time until smoke enveloped the cart that causes him to fall asleep. He was woken up from the feeling of his hand being pressed on by something. He saw a person running away but could not make out who it was because his vision was still foggy.**

* * *

"Thank you Samuru! That will be very helpful for the trial!" Umeko said.

Samuru clenched his fist and punched the floor. With his forceful punch, he dented the floor and created a loud cracking sound. This surprised everyone. Everyone was silent. Nobody was sure about what was happening. "I am so angry! I was here this whole time but I was not able to protect Mako! I was useless! If I had woken up faster, I could have done something! I am so disappointed in myself! Mako would have been alive if I had done something!"

Umeko turned to Samuru and said, "You did not do anything wrong. You did not kill Mako so don't beat yourself up about it. Use that anger to motivate yourself to solve this murder. Let's get the justice Mako deserves."

Samuru looked up to Umeko and nodded. Now with a goal in mind, he stood up and readied himself for his investigation. He turned to Asuka and said, "Sorry for being a burden. Roxanne, let's do this!"

Asuka was happy to see her friend back to his normal state. He was fully energized to start the search for clues. The two were about to get out of the cart when Nao stopped them.

"Roxanne, wait! I need to ask you something."

Roxanne turned to Nao and asked, "Sure, what is it?"

"What were you doing this whole time?" Nao asked.

"You want my testimony?"

"Yes! It would be helpful to know what the people who weren't with us doing." Nao explained.

"Well, I saw you guys before you entered Monokumaland. As I was about to enter the cafeteria, I saw Mako and Samuru follow you guys. After that, I just stayed with Norio the whole time. I was awake most of the time but I would occasionally fall in and out of sleep because of the medicine I am taking for my migraine. It was a long time before the announcement rang. Monokuma fetched us afterward." Asuka said.

* * *

**Fact #7: Asuka's Testimony**

**Asuka saw Nao's group enter the Monokumaland first, followed by Mako and Samuru. After that, she entered the cafeteria and stayed there with Norio.**

* * *

"Thank you so much, Roxanne! That is really helpful!" Umeko said.

Asuka smiled. Nao and Umeko were about to go back to searching for clues when Asuka remembered something.

"Wait, I don't know if this will be helpful but we both went to the clinic to get me medicine. Norio and I saw the visitor counter saying there were seven of you already in there."

* * *

**Fact #8: Visitor Counter**

**According to Asuka, there were seven students inside Monokumaland before the murder announcement rang.**

* * *

"That might come in handy in the trial. Thanks for the info!" Nao said.

"Sure! We better get going! There is not much time left." Asuka said.

Asuka and Samuru left the cart and Nao and Umeko continued searching for clues inside the cart. Umeko looked below the seats while Nao tried to assess the condition of the cart. It did not take a long time for Umeko to find something.

"Hey, look what I found!" Umeko showed Nao a long grey metal tube with a circular digital timer sticking to its side.

"What is that?" Nao asked.

"Let's see…" Umeko turned the tube upside down and saw a label. "It is a sleeping gas bomb. Wait, if this has a label, maybe this timer also has a label."

Eventually, Umeko found a small text inscribed on the timer. "Universal timer… Haven't we heard that before?"

* * *

**Fact #9: Sleeping Gas Bomb and Universal Timer**

**A sleeping gas bomb with a universal timer was found inside the cart where Mako was found.**

* * *

Nao tried to remember where he first heard of it. _I feel like Monokuma told us something like this before. _Thinking Monokuma might know where this came from, Nao called him. "Monokuma! Come out! I have a question for you!"

All of a sudden, Monokuma was right behind the pair.

"What do the lovebirds need from me?" Monokuma asked.

The two turned around. "Monokuma, can you please tell us what this universal timer is and where we could get one."

"Sheesh! Is that all? Weren't you listening to my tour? The universal timer is a device you can attach to anything to make it operate at a certain time. You can get one in the Isle of Games. Seriously, I thought it was something important! You interrupted me preparing for the trial. How am I going to look camera-ready for the trial now?" Monokuma answered. Immediately, Monokuma disappeared.

"I guess we now know where we are going next." Umeko said.

_Camera-ready?_

After that, the two went out of the cart. Suddenly, Umeko stopped Nao. "Nao, wait! There is something on the bottom of your shoe!"

Nao looked at his shoe and saw a piece of paper with a message written on it. He took it off his shoe and read it out loud. "Meet me at the Eye in the Sky cart #1 at 1:00 pm. Don't say a single word until I start talking. From Samuru…"

* * *

**Fact #4: Secret Note(REVISED)**

**Samuru received a note telling him to meet Mako at the Eye in the Sky cart #1 at 1 pm and to not talk before Mako did. Another note was found inside the cart with the same message but this one says it came from Samuru.**

* * *

"We should ask Samuru about this later." Nao said.

The two continued with their search when something caught Nao's attention. Nao stopped and went to the trash can near the Ferris wheel. Nao immediately picked up a mask and a piece of paper from the bin. Nao looked for any label to identify what they were. Quickly, he found a label.

"Sleeping gas mask and a secret map of the Underbelly…"

* * *

**Fact #10: Sleeping Gas Mask**

**A sleeping gas mask was found inside a bin near the Eye in the Sky.**

* * *

**Fact #11: Secret Map**

**A secret map of the Underbelly was found inside a bin near the Eye in the Sky.**

* * *

"We should get going. After visiting the Isle of Games, let's take a look at this map." Nao threw the mask back inside the bin while he gave Umeko the map to keep it. Umeko pressed a button to call for a train. Immediately, a train came and took them to the Isle of Games. The two got off the train and went to the games. A particular stall caught their attention.

"Look! Someone played here." Umeko pointed out. The stall that offered them pictures for a motive has its wheel of different sets of pictures crossed out.

"There are three panels crossed out." Nao said.

Nao saw panel "8", "3+5", and "Jackpot" crossed out.

"Someone won the jackpot?" Umeko asked.

* * *

**Fact #12: Missing Photos**

**Three sets of photos have been already won. These are "8", "3+5", and "Jackpot".**

* * *

"It looks there are at least three people who have motives to kill. I wonder what these photos really are." Nao said.

Umeko worriedly looked at Nao. "What are you planning to do?"

"I need to see one photo to understand how these photos can drive someone to commit a murder." Nao answered.

"Okay, but there is no one managing the stall." Umeko said.

Suddenly, Monokuma appeared. "Hello! Are you here to play?"

"What are you doing here? I thought you were preparing for the trial." Umeko said.

"Well, I was but I heard someone wants to play so I came here as soon as possible. Do you have any problem with that darling?" Monokuma answered.

Nao took a deep breath and said, "I want to play."

"Splendid! Take a shotgun and hit all three targets. That is all you have to do to win your very own photo!" Monokuma instructed.

Nao positioned himself in front of one of the shotguns. He took a deep breath and grabbed one of the shotguns. Carefully, he aimed at the first target. Slowly, he pulled the trigger and successfully hit it.

"Yes! Good job Nao!" Umeko cheered.

He moved on to the next target. Steadily, he aimed and fired. Just like the first one, he successfully hit the target.

"One more left! You can do it!" Umeko continued to cheer.

Nao, with only one target left to hit, started to feel nervous. His hands were trembling. _Calm yourself. You need to get this! You can do this! _As he was aiming, his finger slipped triggering the gun to shoot. Nao knew the bullet would not hit the target. _Goddammit!_

All of a sudden, Monokuma jumped, grabbed the bullet, and threw it at the target.

_What just happened?_

"Congratulations! You won yourself a photo!" Monokuma announced.

"What did you just do?" Nao asked.

"I helped you win! No rule says I can't interfere with your games." Monokuma said.

"B-b-but…" Nao stuttered.

* * *

**Fact #13: Monokuma's Interference**

**Monokuma can help players win the games in the Isle of Games.**

* * *

"Spin the wheel!" Monokuma pointed at the wheel.

_I guess I will just take the photo and get this over with._

Nao spun the wheel. The wheel kept spinning and spinning. After a few seconds, the wheel was slowing down until it stopped. The panel that landed on the arrow was "14".

"Ughhh! That is a boring photo! You are extremely unlucky to get that one!" Monokuma said.

"Just give me the photo already!" Nao demanded.

"Fine! Sheesh! I even helped you win this and I did not even get a thank you." Monokuma mumbled as he searched for the photos. After a few seconds, Monokuma gave the photo to Nao.

"Thanks!" Nao said.

"Finally, someone thanked me! You are the only one who said thank you to me after winning a photo." After that, Monokuma disappeared.

Nao and Umeko were left with a polaroid-like photo. The two looked at the photo and saw who was in it.

"Isn't this Reyes?" Umeko asked.

"It is her…" Nao answered.

The two were looking at a photo of Reyes stabbing two people with swords in the neck while blankly staring at them.

"This is gross!" Umeko said.

"How did Monokuma get a picture like this? This must be photoshopped, right?" Nao said.

"I know what a photoshopped pic looks like thanks to my field of work. That is all real." Umeko said.

"But… Reyes… Why? How?" Nao could not come up with any clear sentences. The photo was too much for him.

_If this is a "boring" picture for Monokuma, what kind of photos does he think are okay?_

After this, Nao asked Umeko to bring out the map. "Let's take a look at the map."

Umeko brought out the map and opened it. Nao and Umeko read it together. Immediately, Nao noticed something.

"The Underbelly is not a maze like we thought it was. Each door has a certain path that leads to an exit. This means every one of us took a different path." Nao said.

"But, how come we were able to experience similar parts like the school shooting scene?" Umeko asked.

"I think we should ask Monokuma about that during the trial." Nao said.

* * *

**Fact #14: The Underbelly**

**The Underbelly is not a maze. Each of its doors leads a different path. No path is similar.**

* * *

The two continued looking at the map. Umeko immediately pointed out something.

"Look, each path has a secret path that leads to another exit. But according to this map, it is a secret exit." Umeko said.

* * *

**Fact #15: Secret Exit**

**Every path in the Underbelly leads to a secret exit.**

* * *

"The Underbelly has a secret exit?" Nao said.

"It says here." Umeko said.

"This murder seems all over the place. I guess we should check that one out next." Nao suggested.

"But how are we going to get there?" Umeko asked.

"Let's just ask Train Conductor Monokuma to bring us there. It is the only thing we could do other than reenter the Underbelly." Nao said.

"Let's just hope he will bring us there." Umeko said.

Nao pressed the button to call a train. Immediately, a train arrived. Nao quickly went to Monokuma and showed the map. He pointed at the secret exit and said, "Can you bring us here?"

"Of course! Hop on! It will only take two and a half minutes to get there!" Monokuma said.

The two quickly went in and waited until they arrive at the secret exit. The two were shocked to find out the place was real. "There really is a secret exit." Nao said.

The two looked around and saw marks of green slime. "Aren't these the same slime on Mako's back and Samuru's hand?" Nao said.

"Yes but how did this get here?" Umeko asked.

"I think we should follow the trail." Nao suggested.

The two followed the trail. As they were following the trail, they ended up in front of ten different doors that lead to different parts of the sewer that had green slime. Nao checked the map to see which path would have access to one of these doors.

"Eri took this door right?" Nao asked.

"That is the one she took." Umeko answered.

"This is Hana's then?" Nao asked.

"Yes…" Umeko answered.

"This is going to be harder than I thought. Everyone had access to this path." Nao said.

* * *

**Fact #16: Trail of Green Slime**

**The trail of green slime was found at the secret exit of The Underbelly. The trail leads to all of the paths of everyone who entered it.**

* * *

"What are we going to do now?" Umeko asked.

"Let's go back to the entrance of Monokumaland. I don't think we will be able to find anything else here." Nao answered.

The two went back to the secret exit and called for another train. They rode it to the entrance of Monokumaland. As they arrived, they immediately searched for anything. However, there was nothing out of place. The two sat down for a while and discussed what they got so far.

"What we have right now is information about Mako, Samuru, the Underbelly, and items from the Isle of Games. I still feel like we are missing something to connect everything." Nao said.

"What do you think are we still missing?" Umeko asked.

"I am not sure." Nao said.

After that, Nao looked at everything there is around them. _Chairs, pots, bins, tables, tracks…_

Suddenly, Nao had an idea. He stood and quickly looked for the map of the whole place. He rushed towards it and observed the tracks. Umeko quickly followed.

"Did you think of something?" Umeko asked.

"I think what we are missing is this."

* * *

**Fact #17: Time of Travel**

**A trip from the entrance to any attraction and vice versa takes five minutes. A trip from one attraction to another other than the Isle of Games also takes five minutes. A trip from one attraction to the Isle of Games and vice versa takes two and a half minutes.**

* * *

While they were observing the map, Norio and Hana showed up. They got off the train and went straight to the pair.

"Hi guys! How is your investigation going?" Hana asked.

"It is fine. I just feel like we are still missing a few clues." Nao answered.

"You are not alone with that. Can I ask both of you a question?" Norio asked.

"Go ahead!" Umeko answered.

"How long did each one of you take to get out of that maze?" Norio asked.

"Eri got out under 17 minutes. I got out after 20 minutes. I was followed by Takashiro. He went out after 28 minutes. Hana took 33 minutes while Umeko took 39 minutes to get out." Nao answered.

* * *

**Fact #18: Players' Timeframe**

**Eri got out after 17 minutes**

**Nao got out after 20 minutes**

**Takashiro got out after 28 minutes**

**Hana got out after 33 minutes**

**Umeko got out after 39 minutes**

* * *

"I actually have questions for you too." Nao said.

"What is it?" Norio asked.

"Is it true you spent the whole afternoon with Roxanne and there were seven of us in here before you entered?" Nao asked.

"Yes, I was stuck with Roxanne the whole time. When we went to the clinic, we saw 7 on the visitor counter."

* * *

**Fact #19: Norio's Testimony**

**He was with Asuka the whole afternoon.**

* * *

**Fact #8: Visitor Counter(REVISED)**

**According to Asuka and Norio, there were seven students inside Monokumaland before the murder announcement rang.**

* * *

After that, Monokuma rang another announcement. "Investigation period is over! Get your asses in the gymnasium now!"

"I guess it is time for another trial." Hana said.

The four waited for the others to come to the entrance. Once they were complete, they all started walking to the gymnasium. While they were walking, Eri tugged Umeko.

"Uhmmm…" Eri mumbled.

"What is it?" Umeko asked.

"Can you come with me to the comfort room?" Eri asked.

"Sure, let's go." Umeko answered.

She turned to Nao and told her about Eri's request. The two broke off from the group. The other six stood in the middle of the gymnasium waiting for Eri and Umeko to come back. While they were waiting, Norio approached Nao.

"How many clues do you have?" Norio straightforwardly asked.

"Umeko and I have nineteen. What about you and Hana?" Nao asked.

"We only got thirteen." Norio answered.

Nao was surprised by this.

"Why so few?" Nao asked.

"Unlike you guys, I was not here. I am not entirely sure what happened so it limited my ability to search for clues. I thought Hana would be of help but she was as clueless as me." Norio explained.

"What do you want me to do now?" Nao asked.

"Can I take a look of your clues and I will let you take a look of mine. I think you might have missed some clues that we have. I need to know as many clued as possible to do this trial properly." Norio answered.

Nao immediately showed Norio his clues.

"Thank you! That was enlightening. Here is mine." Norio showed his clues.

Nao immediately saw one clue he did not have.

* * *

**Fact #20: The Underbelly Guide**

**When a student enters The Underbelly and fails to get out under thirty minutes, Monokuma fetches them and guides them to the exit.**

* * *

"Thank you! I found one I did not have." Nao said.

"Good, I already have two people in mind. I will find out who the killer depending on what happens during the trial. We need to do this Nao with no mercy." Norio told him.

"Of course! That is what I intend to do." Nao answered.

After that, Umeko and Eri entered the room. Suddenly, Monokuma appeared. "Are you twerps ready for the fourth trial?"

* * *

**That is it for now!**

**With these clues, who do you think killed Mako? Why do you think they killed them? How did they do it?**

**You can tell me who you guess for the killer is by voting on the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	35. Round And Round We Go 6

The remaining eight students are inside the courtroom by their podiums waiting for the trial to start. The room was uncomfortably silent with eight of them looking around seeing that they are down to half of their original number. Nao turned to his left which was Manon's podium. It has the stand with her picture crossed out. He searched for the room and saw Mako's stand beside Asuka.

_It has been so long since we were complete. Everything started with Ayumu's murder. Now, we have to solve Mako's murder. After this trial, only seven of us will be walking away from this alive. Why did they have to kill Mako? What kind of picture did they get?_

Nao was visibly troubled. His face painted a bothered expression. Everyone could see the trouble in his eyes. Umeko, who was standing at his right, patted him on his shoulder. This snapped Nao back to reality. He turned to Umeko who was smiling at him.

"We can do this! I know you can solve this." Umeko told him.

This gave Nao the confidence to solve the case. "Thanks…"

"Why are you so troubled?" Umeko asked.

"I just have a lot of questions. Plus, this room only reminded me of the people that we have lost and that we will be losing another one after this." Nao said.

"I have a question." Umeko said.

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"I am just curious. Do you resent our classmates who killed one of us?" Umeko asked.

"Why are you asking?" Nao followed up with another question.

"I don't have a reason. Just curious." Umeko answered.

"Well, it depends on why they did it. I resent Jirou until now because of his narcissistic and shallow excuse to kill Rei but I don't resent Kayle and Manon. Kayle did it for us while Manon did it for her sister. They did it for their loved ones." Nao answered.

Umeko smiled and said, "Do you understand the motive this time?"

"Not really. All we got was a picture of Reyes doing what she does as Sparkling Justice 2.0. I am not sure what Monokuma really wants us to see." Nao answered.

Umeko was about to follow up with another question when Monokuma suddenly appeared on his throne. "Hello, twerps! Sorry for keeping you waiting. Why don't we start this show?" Monokuma eerily grinned at everyone. _Monokuma is surely in a good mood. He must be anticipating something to happen in this trial._

Nao looked at his facts for one last time before the trial began.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #5**

**The victim is Ichimako Watadzumi. The estimated time of his death was 1:29 pm. The victim died from strangulation. **

**Fact #2: Mako's Neck**

**Mako's neck was bruised and had weird markings caused by something being pressed on it. The markings are more concentrated around their adam's apple.**

**Fact #3: Mako's Back**

**Mako has green slime on their back.**

**Fact #4: Secret Note**

**Samuru received a note telling him to meet Mako at the Eye in the Sky cart #1 at 1 pm and to not talk before Mako did. Another note was found inside the cart with the same message but this one says it came from Samuru. Fact #5: Samuru's Hand**

**Samuru's right hand has green slime on it.**

**Fact #6: Samuru's Testimony**

**Samuru went to The Eye in the Sky with Mako. The two were silent the whole time until smoke enveloped the cart that causes him to fall asleep. He was woken up from the feeling of his hand being pressed on by something. He saw a person running away but could not make out who it was because his vision was still foggy.**

**Fact #7: Asuka's Testimony**

**Asuka saw Nao's group enter the Monokumaland first, followed by Mako and Samuru. After that, she entered the cafeteria and stayed there with Norio.**

**Fact #8: Visitor Counter**

**According to Asuka and Norio, there were seven students inside Monokumaland before the murder announcement rang.**

**Fact #9: Sleeping Gas Bomb and Universal Timer**

**A sleeping gas bomb with a universal timer was found inside the cart where Mako was found.**

**Fact #10: Sleeping Gas Mask**

**A sleeping gas mask was found inside a bin near the Eye in the Sky.** **torn.**

**Fact #11: Secret Map**

**A secret map of the Underbelly was found inside a bin near the Eye in the Sky.**

**Fact #12: Missing Photos**

**Three sets of photos have been already won. These are "8", "3+5", and "Jackpot".**

**Fact #13: Monokuma's Interference**

**Monokuma can help players win the games in the Isle of Games.**

**Fact #14: The Underbelly**

**The Underbelly is not a maze. Each of its doors leads a different path. No path is similar.**

**Fact #15: Secret Exit**

**Every path in the Underbelly leads to a secret exit.**

**Fact #16: Trail of Green Slime**

**The trail of green slime was found at the secret exit of The Underbelly. The trail leads to all of the paths of everyone who entered it.**

**Fact #17: Time of Travel**

**A trip from the entrance to any attraction and vice versa takes five minutes. A trip from one attraction to another other than the Isle of Games also takes five minutes. A trip from one attraction to the Isle of Games and vice versa takes two and a half minutes.**

**Fact #18: Players' Timeframe**

**Eri got out after 17 minutes**

**Nao got out after 20 minutes**

**Takashiro got out after 28 minutes**

**Hana got out after 33 minutes**

**Umeko got out after 39 minutes**

**Fact #19: Norio's Testimony**

**He was with Asuka the whole afternoon.**

**Fact #20: The Underbelly Guide**

**When a student enters The Underbelly and fails to get out under thirty minutes, Monokuma fetches them and guides them to the exit.**

* * *

"Alright! Let's start the trial! I think I am going to see some tears today! Upupupu!" Monokuma laughed as he started the trial. After that, Norio quickly took over. Everyone expected this and was willing to follow his lead.

"I think we should first discuss our list of suspects since it is the easiest thing to tackle in this case." Norio said.

Nao quickly added, "There are two people who are innocent in this case."

Takashiro was confused by this. "Why are there only two people?"

"It is because they are the only ones who have an alibi." Nao answered.

"What are their alibis?" Takashiro asked.

Umeko quickly added, "They have each other to prove their alibis."

"Who are these two?" Asuka asked.

Norio immediately snickered and rolled his eyes. He turned to his left where Asuka was standing. "They are talking about us, idiot."

"Oh! That is amazing! I don't have to do much to prove my innocence. But… what is exactly my alibi?" Asuka cheered.

"We were with each other when Mako was murdered. Do you not remember falling asleep on my shoulder because of that medicine you took?" Norio answered.

"Oh right! We were together the whole time. By the way, thank you for taking care of me earlier. I know I must have been fucking irritating." Asuka said.

"Wait, you let her sleep on your shoulder?" Hana interjected.

"It is not like I had a choice. She suddenly fell on my shoulder. Don't give it any meaning. Why did I even say that?" Norio quickly answered.

Hana giggled and said, "It looks like I have someone new to tease with after this trial. Hihihihihi!"

Nao was confused about what was happening. _I need to steer them back to the topic before Norio loses his cool because of Hana. _"Uhmmm… let's go back to narrowing our list of suspects."

Hana quickly shut up while Norio said, "Thank you! Now, where were we?"

"Y-y-you were saying you and R-R-Roxanne are innocent." Eri answered.

"Oh, that is right. Roxanne and I are innocent because we could not have done it since we were together the whole time." Norio said.

"So that leaves us with six." Takashiro said.

"Actually, there is someone else that we need to consider as innocent." Nao added.

Everyone looked at him. _I hope Norio agrees with me on this one. _Nao cleared his throat and continued. "Samuru is innocent as well."

Immediately, Takashiro reacted. "Huh? How come? Shouldn't he be the prime suspect right now since he is the last one to see Mako alive?" Some immediately agreed with him.

"Takashiro does make sense." Hana agreed.

"We d-d-did catch him beside Mako." Eri added.

"It wasn't me." All of a sudden, Samuru joined the conversation.

"What is your proof?" Takashiro asked.

"I don't have one but I know I am not the killer. I think we should not just focus on only me since we just started the trial." Samuru answered.

"No! Prove to me why it isn't you!" Takashiro stubbornly insisted on accusing Samuru.

_Well, I was going to give a piece of evidence but all of you cut me off. _Nao cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention. "I think I can prove his innocence."

"Go on, tell us why Samuru is innocent." Norio said.

"Well, Samuru and Mako received a note that told them to do the exact same thing. However, what was weird about those notes is that they are from each other. The note Samuru got was from Mako while Mako's came from Samuru. It specifically told the two to shut up until one of them talks." Nao explained.

"What is your point?" Takashiro asked.

"Both of them were set up by the killer." Nao said.

"Oh! I see. I am sorry Samuru for being too harsh on you!" Takashiro apologized.

"It is alright. I understand our situation. We can't trust anyone, even the ones closest to us." Samuru said.

"Do you agree with me?" Nao asked Norio.

"I do but I also have another explanation that I think we should focus on." Norio answered.

"Why? Aren't we doing the right thing which is to narrow down our list?" Asuka asked.

"It is but, with the evidence we got, we can only prove only three people's innocence." Umeko answered.

"Umeko is right. We reached the end of that talk. Let's now talk about the other evidence that could prove Samuru's innocence." Norio said.

"What is it?" Hana asked.

"The green slime." Norio answered.

Nao immediately understood what he means. "Right! His hand has green slime."

Everyone could not follow the conversation between the two. "Can you please explain to us what you mean by the green slime." Umeko asked.

"Well, Samuru's hand and Mako's back had green slime. But, there is also another place that has green slime." Nao answered.

"The Underbelly…" Eri answered.

"Yes! Exactly!" Nao answered.

"What does that creepy ass place got to do with this?" Asuka asked.

"Well, we found a trail of slime outside The Underbelly. They looked like footprints but I can't really tell what it was since it was mushed. Am I saying the right thing?" Umeko turned to Nao.

"Yes. The trail was obviously left by a foot. That means the killer has slime under their foot, not on there hand, or else we would have seen more trails of green slime on handlebars." Nao added.

"So it means, the killer is one of us people who went inside the Underbelly?" Takashiro asked.

"I hate to admit it but it is one of us five who played." Nao answered.

"But, how can that be? We were all inside that freaking maze? How could the killer get out of that maze, kill someone, go back, and finish the maze?" Hana asked.

"Is it a maze?" Nao asked.

Everyone was stunned by the question.

"Of course, it is a maze. That is what Monokuma told us." Hana answered.

"Are we sure Monokuma is telling us the truth?" Nao asked.

Everyone turned to Monokuma who was attentively listening to the discussion. When everyone's eyes were glued on him, he started feeling awkward. "Oh my, why are you all looking at me? I was only quietly listening here!"

"Monokuma, is The Underbelly really a maze?" Umeko asked.

"I won't say a single word until you prove your claim that it is not a maze!" Monokuma said.

Everyone's attention went back to Nao. Nao took a deep breath and continued, "Umeko and I found a map of the Underbelly and we noticed its structure. It isn't like a garden maze we all thought it would be. Each door leads to a certain path to the exit. It is scary and confusing but you will never be truly lost like in a maze."

"That is true. Now that I think about it, I was never lost. I was just stuck hiding in a closet." Hana said.

"Same goes with me. I could not get out because I was too scared to move. Someone kept on shooting at me. That is why I could not properly move forward." Umeko added.

Norio shouted, "That is our proof of our claim. Time to explain yourself Monokuma!"

Monokuma suddenly giggled. "Upupupu! I was lying! That place was not a maze! Hahahahaha! You all fell for it!"

Samuru was furious to hear this. "You deceived us once again! You demon, tell us the truth about that place!"

Monokuma was wheezing from laughter. Everyone was confused. They don't know why Monokuma was laughing so hard. Samuru had enough of this. He took out his ax and threw it at Monokuma. The ax nearly cut Monokuma's head but it landed on the wall creating a huge crack on it. With this surprise turn of events, Monokuma stopped and grabbed the ax. All of a sudden, Monokuma threw the ax back at Samuru. Samuru calmly stood and caught the ax.

"You shithead! You almost killed me! Do you want to be punished?" Monokuma shouted.

"Answer us!" Samuru responded.

"Fine! That was no fun at all." Monokuma said. He fixed himself on his throne. Then, he continued his explanation. "The Underbelly is not a maze. It has different, straightforward paths that you need to follow to get out. Your paths will never cross because of how each path is designed. I only lied because I thought it would make you more scared when you enter it. All I was doing was harmless advertisement!"

"Is that all? Because if that is it, the most suspicious person is the fastest one to escape the place since they are the one who has the most time to kill someone." Hana said.

_Is it really all of it?_

With what Hana said, everyone quickly looked at the first person to escape, Eri. Eri suddenly became flustered. "I-I-It's not me! I-I-I didn't kill M-M-Mako!"

"Confess now Eri!" Asuka shouted.

"Don't shout at my friend! She would never kill any of her friends!" Takashiro quickly defended her.

Eri turned to him and said, "Thank you…"

"Stop defending her! She is the only one who could have done it! She finished it quickly to get out of the maze to kill Mako." Hana said.

_Is it really the only way to get out?_

"Hana, there is another way to get out other than escaping quickly." Norio said.

"Really?" Hana asked.

Norio turned to Nao and said, "Nao, tell them what you saw in the map of the attraction."

Nao nodded and continued, "Umeko and I found out that every path leads to a secret exit. Using the map, you can find your way to that secret exit. We checked it out and it is true. Actually, that is where we found the trail of green slime. It is connected to train tracks so anyone can call for a train there and go wherever they want to and come back."

"That means all of you are still suspects." Norio added.

"I am confused!" Asuka shouted out of nowhere.

"Why?" Umeko asked.

"From what I am hearing, the killer is all over the fucking place. One moment, they are here, the next thing they are there. I am sorry but can we focus one place for now and connect everything later?" Asuka answered.

"Sure. It will be more efficient to work that way." Norio answered.

"I think we have talked enough about The Underbelly. I think we should talk about the Eye in the Sky next." Umeko suggested.

"I believe so too." Nao added.

"Very well." Norio answered.

Samuru suddenly asked, "Where should we start?"

"Let's talk about the sleeping gas bomb we found." Hana answered.

"From Samuru's testimony, both you and Mako were knocked out because of that." Norio stated.

"Yes. No one threw it at us. It suddenly exploded. We did not notice anything suspicious when we went inside the cart." Samuru added more details.

"So how was it triggered?" Takashiro asked.

"Was the Ferris wheel already moving when it exploded?" Umeko asked.

"The Ferris wheel was about to start when it exploded. It had just finished loading in every cart. It felt like it was perfectly timed." Samuru answered.

"What if it is?" Nao asked.

"What do you mean? How could it have been timed perfectly?" Asuka asked.

"Well… The bomb had this universal timer attached to it. According to Monokuma, anything it is attached to is triggered to operate at a certain time." Nao answered.

"So all the killer had to do was set the time, place the bomb there, and wait. But, why is the killer so confident that Samuru and Mako will be trapped inside the cart? What if the cart just began loading and it set off? Wouldn't that ruin their plan?" Hana suddenly questioned Nao's theory.

_Hana has a point but I think everyone is forgetting how the carnival operates. _Nao answered, "The answer is simple. The carnival has a schedule it follows. Every attraction other than the Underbelly operates starting from 1 pm. The wheel loads for five minutes and one ride lasts for ten minutes. If the killer knows that, they will be able to set the time perfectly. If I was the killer, I would have set it for 1:05 pm to explode."

"Now that you explained it, it seems that it was perfectly timed because of the timer." Samuru added.

"I have a question. W-w-when did the killer s-s-set up everything?" Eri asked.

Norio immediately replied, "Most probably last night. They could not have done it the night before because Nao and Umeko's date and it could not have been this morning. After all, it will be suspicious of them to be missing."

"T-t-the killer really wanted t-t-to kill Mako…" Eri said.

"It looks like we have another determined killer like Manon." Norio added.

"It is safe to say this is a premeditated murder." Hana added,

"Let me get this straight. The killer bombed the two, went in there, and killed Mako? How the fuck did they not fall asleep if they are exposed to the smoke as well?" Asuka asked.

"The killer must have used some sort of protection" Umeko answered.

"They definitely did. Do you remember what we saw in the bin other than the map?" Nao asked.

Suddenly, Umeko remembered what Nao was talking about. She answered, "The sleeping gas mask…"

"The killer must have worn that when they were inside the cart. It is the only logical explanation for this." Norio added.

After that, everyone was silent. No one was really sure what to add next. It felt like they were able to discuss everything about the Ferris wheel. Nao was about to move on to another topic when Eri raised a question.

"I am sorry. I-I-I was wondering why t-t-the killer asked Samuru to come. It feels weird… W-w-what was his p-p-purpose?" Eri asked.

_I never thought of that. Why did the killer want Samuru there? If their target is Mako, why was Samuru needed by the killer? They could have just asked Mako to come by himself. _Everyone was discussing now Samuru's role. Most of them were unsure.

"He must be a scapegoat. They must have planned to pin him for the murder." Takashiro answered.

Immediately, Nao rejected the idea. "It is plausible but why did it have to be Samuru? They could have chosen other people, weaker people. Why did they gather two of the strongest people in the group? If their plan failed, they would have been in big trouble. Why take that big of a risk for just a scapegoat? I do not our killer is like that."

"Why choose Samuru? If I was the killer, I would have chosen Eri or Takashiro as the scapegoat since they are weak and easy to manipulate." Hana added.

"I would never choose Samuru as a target. He is too powerful and unpredictable. I won't have time to deal with him." Norio answered.

_What if they chose him because he is him? _"I think the killer targeted him because he is Samuru." Nao said.

"What? You lost me." Hana added.

"What if the killer was not just planning on killing Mako but also him?" Nao answered.

Everyone thought about it. Nao continued explaining, "Think about it! None of us would choose Samuru as a scapegoat, let alone as our random victim. The killer must have had their reasons to want to kill Mako and Samuru at the same time."

"It seems it is the only explanation I could think of as well." Norio said.

Everyone looked at Samuru. However, Samuru was not bothered by this. "I was supposed to die?"

"Yes." Nao calmly answered.

Eri was worried. She immediately asked, "Why are you calm about th-th-this?"

"I have so many enemies. My life is under threat every day. I am used to this all the time." Samuru explained.

"But why did the killer did not kill you?" Umeko asked.

"I don't know. Something must have happened." Samuru answered.

Nao looked at Samuru's testimony and tried to think of what happened. _The killer wanted to kill him but did not proceed to do it. Something unplanned happened. What did happen? _Nao continued thinking until he finally had an answer. "You woke up too early."

Everyone looked at Nao. "He woke up too early?" Asuka asked.

"Put yourself in the shoes of the killer. If you plan to kill Samuru, would you want to do it when he is awake?" Nao asked,

"No! That would be ridiculous. That is a suicide mission." Hana answered.

"Exactly! The killer must have seen that Samuru was waking up so they immediately ran as soon as the cart opened. They were just lucky enough to get out before Samuru have fully woken up." Nao explained to everyone.

After that, another question was formed. "Why did Samuru woke up too early?" Takashiro asked.

"What would wake you up?" Norio asked.

"Sunlight…" Hana answered.

"Too much noise wakes me up." Asuka answered.

"I wake up when I'm…in pain." Eri answered.

Suddenly, Nao had an answer. "That's right!" Nao shouted.

"Who is right?" Hana asked.

"Eri… Samuru, what did you feel before you woke up?" Nao answered.

"I felt like something hard pressed on my hand." Samuru shared.

"What if it was not pressed on but stepped on?'" Umeko added.

"That would also explain the slime on his hand. We have established the killer had slime on their shoe. The foot that stepped on him was the foot that had slime." Norio said.

"The killer wanted to kill Samuru but they woke him up by stepping too hard on his hand. Did I get that right?" Takashiro asked.

"Yes!" Nao answered.

"It feels like the killer needed a lot of things but none of us really brought anything when we went to The Underbelly. Where did they hide everything?" Hana asked.

"It is true that the killer needed a lot of things but it does not mean they brought it with them all at once." Nao answered. Nao turned to Norio who seemed pleased with his answer.

"Do you guys remember the policy for the Isle of Games?" Norio asked.

"What was their policy again?" Hana asked.

"If you win an item you can claim it anytime you want. That is what the killer did. They only needed to bring one thing." Norio answered.

"The secret map…" Umeko answered.

"Umeko is right. If they get out of that maze or whatever it is easily, they will be able to pick up the gas mask they needed." Norio explained.

"Wait a minute! Hold up! The killer went to another place?" Asuka asked.

"Yes! Keep up!" Hana shouted.

"When did they go to the Isle of Games?" Asuka asked.

"After they got out of The Underbelly through the secret exit…" Nao answered.

"I don't get it. The timing is so confusing! The killer is going everywhere but I am not sure how long it took the killer get out and come back!" Asuka added.

"I know. It looks like timing will be the key important factor to solve this but we have not even scratched that part yet." Nao commented.

Suddenly, Monokuma giggled. Everyone looked at him. Monokuma gave them a big smile and said. "It is so funny! You guys are talking about time while you are running out of time! Hahahahaha!"

Nao became more worried. He looked around. _If it takes this long for this to happen and that long to get there, then this could happen. This is tricky. This is too hard. I can't! _"This is so confusing. I don't even have a concrete idea who the killer is."

Suddenly, Norio snickered. Everyone turned to him. Norio immediately said, "You really are underestimating my ability to detect that you are hiding something, Nao. We both know you have an idea who it is. I already know who it is. It is simple math. Didn't I tell you to have no mercy?"

* * *

**That is it for this update!**

**What do you think of what is happening so far? Did your guess change? Who killed Mako? Tell me by voting on a poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, that is for now! I hope you guys enjoyed reading!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	36. Round And Round We Go 7

**The end is here! I hope you are excited for this!**

* * *

The discussion took a halt when Norio revealed Nao was hiding the fact that he knows who the killer is. Nao could not say anything. His body froze as he blankly stared at Norio. Everyone turned to Nao for an explanation.

"Nao, is that true? You know who the killer is?" Umeko asked as she tried to snap Nao back to reality.

Asuka was annoyed by this. "Why the fuck are you holding back? Tell us who did it so we could end this!"

"Hmmm… Th-th-this does not feel right…" Eri mumbled.

Takashiro turned to Eri and asked, "Why?"

Eri quickly answered, "N-N-Nao wouldn't do s-s-something like that. He m-m-must have a reason."

Everyone voiced out their opinion but nothing made Nao speak up. Chill ran down his spine as he looked at Norio and the killer. _No! This is not the end I want. There must be a reason why they did it. I need to know. I need to be wrong. Please be wrong._

Begging for a sense of clarity, Norio grabbed the attention of everyone to explain and out the killer. "Everyone, listen to me. It took me this long to figure out who killer Mako because I had to listen to this trial while I do simple math."

"Simple math? What were you computing for?" Hana asked.

Norio turned to her and coldly answered, "The amount of time the killer needed to execute this convoluted murder…"

Samuru quickly asked, "Will you tell us that?"

Norio silently nodded and turned to the killer as he explained the amount of time the killer needed.

"Let's assume that Samuru and Mako rode the Ferris wheel approximately at 1 pm. The Ferris wheel finished loading at 1:05 pm. At that time, the sleeping gas bomb exploded knocking out the two of them. The Ferris wheel operated for ten minutes. This means Samuru and Mako were still asleep around 1:15 pm. Within those first fifteen minutes, the killer must have been waiting for the Ferris wheel to load again. This is possible since five minutes is enough for the killer to get what they need from the Isle of Games and go the Ferris wheel.

When the wheel stopped to load again, the killer entered the cart Samuru and Mako were in and started strangling Mako. Based on Mako's time of death, it took the killer another full ride of the wheel to kill them. This means the killer was still inside the wheel at around 1:30 pm. During that time, the killer accidentally woke up Samuru which prompted them to leave as soon as the Ferris wheel started loading again.

To get back to The Underbelly from the Ferris wheel, the killer must take a 5-minute ride. Once they have arrived, the killer reentered the attraction and sprinted to the exit knowing the path is not as confusing as Monokuma made us believe. The killer must have reentered the attraction around 1:35 pm.

With this timeline, we can clearly see that the killer must have exited the maze after 35 minutes or more. In your group, only one person took longer than that to exit."

Everyone's attention shifted to the person who exited the maze after 39 minutes. She stood with a big smile as everyone's eyes are fixated on her. She caressed her rayon tulle fabric and looked at Norio. "So, for this trial, I am going to be the prime suspect then." Umeko said as she stood calmly without a trace of nervousness.

"I-I-Is that true, Umeko?" Eri asked.

Before Umeko could answer her, Nao quickly shouted, "She couldn't have done this. I refuse to believe this! This can't be! Before we come to that kind of conclusion, let's answer first how Mako died! We haven't solved the imprints on his neck! What about that? Tell me Norio how Umeko could have left those markings! Explain that to me!"

Umeko tried to reach for Nao's hand when Nao turned to Umeko and said, "Don't worry! They must be mistaken. I will fix this. I will save -" Before Nao could continue, Norio interrupted.

"Fine! Let me explain how the killer strangled Mako. I hope this will be enough to silence you!" Norio shouted. Everyone was silent and were attentively listening to Norio.

Norio asked everyone, "What was on the back of Mako?"

Takashiro immediately answered, "Green slime!"

"Correct! What does that mean?" Norio asked again.

Asuka answered, "The killer stepped on their back."

"Precisely! With the amount of green slime Mako had, it means the killer stood on them for a very long time. This means the killer could not have strangled them while sitting down or kneeling. Knowing this, what is now our problem?" Norio asked.

Hana answered, "How did the killer strangle Mako?"

"Obviously, unless the killer had freakishly long arms, the killer used a tool to strangle Mako. It must be something easy to wrap around Mako's neck" Norio answered.

"I-I-Is it my friendship bracelet?" Eri asked.

"No, it is too short and you only gave them today. The killer used something they previously owned, something they could easily bring anywhere without raising suspicion." Norio answered.

Everyone was stumped. No one really knows what to answer. Suddenly, Nao weakly answered, "Umeko used her fabric-like jacket. Is that what you want them to figure out?"

"The killer used their rayon tulle fabric. They wrapped it around Mako's neck, have one of their feet on his back, and strangle them by pulling on both ends of the fabric. They stepped on Mako's back to add more tension to the fabric around Mako's neck." Norio disregarded Nao.

"Only one of us has that. Was it really you?" Samuru asked. Umeko did not answer but only looked at Nao with a worried expression on her face.

"Umeko, please admit to your heinous deed so Nao could accept the reality." Norio told Umeko.

Before Umeko could respond, Nao spoke up. "How could you treat her like this? She has nothing but be kind to us. She cooked for us. She helped out anyone who had a problem!"

Nao stopped and turned to Hana, "Do you remember when Umeko brought you your food all the time when you were hiding in your room? Can someone like that kill a person?" Hana could not answer.

He turned to Eri and Takashiro. "Do you guys remember when she treated you like real friends? Takashiro, do you remember the time she hung out with you laughing along to your jokes? Eri, do you remember when she treated you like a friend when you felt like you did not have one?"

Suddenly, Nao started crying. "How could someone so kind do something so cruel?"

"Why are you still denying it? We both know this is the right answer." Norio asked.

Nao let out all of his tears as some people starting to tear up.

"I-I-I don't want to believe my friend could do this…" Eri said before completely crying on Takashiro's shoulders.

Takashiro put out Tori-chan and said, "Umeko is a darling! How can a sweet, delicate flower do this?" Takashiro could not hold back his tears any longer and cried along with Eri.

Surprisingly, Asuka was tearing up as well. "You bitch! You were kind and thoughtful! I still want to cook and write songs with you! Why? Why?"

Hana joined in the crying and shouted, "What happened?"

Umeko did not care to listen to them. All she was looking at was Nao. Nao could not look at her as he choked on his tears. After a few seconds, he was able to calm himself enough to ask Umeko one last question.

"This question will prove to me you did it. I want it to come from you. Umeko, who guides people stuck in the Underbelly for thirty minutes out of the maze?" Nao asked.

Umeko replied, "I don't know because no one guided me. I was not in the maze for that long to have someone fetch me. All I did was follow the path to quickly get out of there."

As almost all of them were in tears, Norio attempted to make a clear summarization of the case. "This is what happened." Before Norio could continue, he was cut off by Umeko.

"For this trial, can I summarize the case? I have always wanted to do that part but you and Nao always get to do it." Umeko asked.

Norio nodded.

Umeko cleared her throat before continuing.

* * *

**Ichimako Watadzumi's Murder**

"This all started when the killer was stupidly curious about the Isle of Games. Because of their stupidity and with the help of Monokuma, they easily won each prize, including a photo that scarred them for life upon seeing it. Because of this photo, the killer immediately planned to kill Ichimako Watadzumi and Samuru Yagyuu.

The killer prepared the sleeping gas bomb and the universal timer yesterday. They attached the two objects, set the bomb to explode 1:06 pm today, and left it in cart #1 of The Eye In The Sky. They also claimed the secret map of The Underbelly and studied it.

After that, the killer wrote a note for both Mako and Samuru to meet them in cart #1 of The Eye In The Sky. They specifically instructed to not talk to each other. They also tricked them by making them believe that the other person wrote the note to them.

The following day came and it was time for the killer to commence their plan. They took advantage of the fact that they will be going to Monokumaland with their friends. The killer, along with their friends, entered The Underbelly first.

During their run, the killer used the map to locate the secret exit. As they were finding the exit, their foot stepped on a big clump of green slime. Because of this, they left a trail at the secret exit. Once they were at the secret exit, they called for a train to go to the Isle of Games to claim the sleeping gas mask. As soon as they claimed the mask, they to The Eye In The Sky.

While this was happening, Mako and Samuru were already inside the cart. They were caught by surprise when the sleeping gas bomb which caused them to fall asleep.

As soon as the ride started loading, the killer entered the cart wearing the gas mask. Immediately, they wrapped their rayon tulle fabric around the neck of Mako, stepped on Mako's back, and pulled the fabric until they Mako died. Because of the force of the pull on the fabric, markings on Mako's neck were left.

After killing Mako, the killer was preparing to strangle Samuru. However, this plan failed when they accidentally stepped on Samuru's hand. Because of this, there was green slime on Samuru's hand. He woke up from being stepped on. Luckily for them, the ride just stopped and the cart opened. The killer ran out of there.

Before they called for another train, they threw the mask and the map in the nearest trash can. They went back to the secret exit, reentered The Underbelly, ran through it, and escaped it after 39 minutes since their group went in.

This plan can only be executed by one person in our group and that person is me, Umeko Midori, the Ultimate Environmentalist."

* * *

_She really did it. Why is she confessing? Shouldn't she be trying to get away with this? Why do you want to get caught? Don't you want to escape to see your parents again? Why?_

Everyone was silent after Umeko explained how she killed Mako. Nobody can believe what they are hearing. Even Norio was silent and for the first time, his face painted the emotion of disappointment toward a killer.

Monokuma cleared his throat. "I knew it! People did cry today! Hahahahaha! I guess you guys reached a conclusion. It is time to vote!"

Nao looked at buttons on his podium. Just like everyone else, he hesitantly pressed the right answer.

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist**

3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

Everyone dreaded to see the results. The television screen on top of Monokuma showed a wheel with everyone's name. It started spinning faster and faster until it slowed down and landed on the name of Umeko Midori. Suddenly, confetti appeared and the results of the voting were displayed.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Umeko Midori - 8**

**Answer: Umeko Midori**

**Correct!**

* * *

Everyone was silent. They looked at Umeko who was unshaken by the result. She continued to smile at everyone despite of what she did. All of a sudden, Monokuma started laughing. "Hahahahahaha! Did you see that one coming? I was surprised when I saw her plotting for a murder. I knew she had it in her but I never thought she would really do it."

Norio suddenly shouted, "Shut up, Monokuma!" He turned to Umeko and said, "Please explain yourself. Tell us why you did it."

Umeko chuckled and answered, "Sure…"

She took out the photo she and Nao won earlier and showed it to everyone. She started explaining herself. "Do you see this photo?"

Everyone looked at it and was disgusted by it.

"Is that Reyes?" Hana asked.

"Yes! Nao and I won this earlier. I was happy when I saw Nao win one because I thought he might be able to understand why I did it but once I saw this photo, I wished Reyes went to hell along with Mako. I wished both of them burn in eternity. I wished Samuru will follow next. I wish you three eternal damnation!" Umeko shouted.

Everyone was surprised by this. They have never seen such anger from Umeko.

"Where is this anger coming from?" Nao asked.

Umeko put out the photo she won. "I won the photo '3+5' and this is what I got."

She showed the picture of Mako as he threw a head of a woman to a tank of sharks while Samuru was carrying a headless, presumably the body of the head Mako threw. Takashiro felt sick and threw up as soon as he saw the photo.

"T-T-Takashiro, are you okay?" Eri immediately went to Takashiro.

"What is that?" Hana shouted.

Everyone was shaken to the core, except for Samuru.

"Do you remember this woman? Do you remember doing this?" Umeko asked Samuru.

"I am sorry but I don't remember executing a woman like her. But then again, I have executed hundreds of men and women." Samuru answered.

"I get that you are an executioner and you kill people, bad people. I understand that Reyes kills people in the name of justice. What I don't understand is why Mako did this? And…" Umeko started choking up in tears.

She pushed through to get her words out. "Why did you and Mako did this to my mother?"

Everyone was speechless when she revealed that it was her mother who was in the picture with Mako and Samuru.

"This must be a mistake. Why would I kill your mother? Was she imprisoned?" Samuru asked.

"I am not yet done." Umeko said.

She wiped her tears and pointed at one of the men Reyes stabbed in the picture. "Do you see this man? This is my father. Why did they kill my parents?"

"It must be photoshopped, Umeko. That can't be real." Asuka said.

"Both of us are from the entertainment industry. We both know which photo is fake and which photo is real. You and I know this is real." Umeko told the group.

Norio turned to Samuru and asked, "Did you really do that? Answer me! Tell us the truth? Did you and Mako kill Umeko's mother?"

Samuru answered, "I know I have executed countless people but I don't recall killing her mother and having Mako help me with an execution."

Nao turned to Monokuma and shouted, "Please tell us what is the meaning of these pictures! Please!"

Monokuma suddenly started acting as if he was falling asleep. "I don't know. Wake me up when you are done talking about this shit."

Everyone turned to Umeko again. "I am sorry for being a mess. I wish I could stay longer with you guys. I wish I could have met most of you sooner. I really do!" Umeko started crying again.

"I… I… I… I am sorry. When I came up with this plan, I was fully prepared to be executed. I knew I was not going to get away, not with Nao and Norio leading this trial. I hope you guys will find forgiveness in the fact that I did not do this to get away or wish that all of you be executed instead of me. I just wanted revenge." Umeko said.

Nobody knew what to say to her. _She knew she was going to be executed but she still stuck to her plan. _

"Samuru, please confess to killing my mother. That is all I want to hear from you before I die. It makes me sick hearing you pretending to not know when it is clear in this picture what you did." Umeko begged.

Samuru answered, "I am sorry Umeko but I can't confess to something I did not do."

"What did I expect other than that?" Umeko said.

Umeko approached Nao and said, "Nao, thank you for the past few days. There were moments I would forget about the picture because of you. I really did fall in love with you. Thank you for everything!" Umeko hugged Nao as Nao blankly stared at the wall behind her.

Umeko let go of Nao and looked at him and asked, "Do you resent me? Do you resent me like Jirou?"

"How could I?" Nao immediately answered.

Suddenly, Umeko kissed him on his lips. "I hope that is what you remember of me when you think of me in the future, not my murder. Nao, thank you for all! I love you!"

She turned to everyone and said, "Thank you, everyone, for treating me so nicely! Thank you for being my friends! I am sorry again!"

Umeko turned to Monokuma and shouted, "Monokuma, it is time for my execution."

Monokuma jolted up and said, "Did I hear that correctly? Well, let's not delay this anymore!"

Nao immediately hugged Umeko as he cried on her shoulders. "Please tell me this is all just a dream! Please!"

Umeko took her necklace and put it on Nao.

A red button appeared in front of Monokuma. He pulled out a gavel and hit the button with it. "Let's give everything we got! It is punishment time!"

Suddenly, a clamp dragged Umeko out of Nao's arms. Before she was dragged out of the room, she said, "Goodbye, Nao!"

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Umeko Midori has been found guilty**

* * *

**The Woman Who Can't Be Moved**

**Umeko Midori**

**The Ultimate Environmentalist Execution**

**-Used-**

Umeko was dragged through the dirt. Suddenly, stopped when she hit a tree and was chained to it. Umeko stood there waiting for her demise. She looked around and saw she was in the middle of a barren land with only one tree left, the tree she was chained to.

Around her were placards saying to stop the deforestation. Suddenly, huge trucks started appearing one by one. Each looked menacing and dangerous. One by one, trucks started revving up.

Umeko looked for a sign of Monokuma. She found Monokuma inside one of the trucks with a chainsaw. He turned it on as well. Umeko chuckled and said, "This is not the execution I expected you would prepare for me."

Suddenly, the sky turned dark that looked like a storm was brewing. All of a sudden, thunder started hitting the ground. Each zap shook Umeko to the core. However, she did not resist thinking it was futile.

All of a sudden, thunder hit the tree she was tied to which ended up electrocuting her. The tree was hit multiple times until the tree was on fire. Umeko's corpse caught on fire.

The sky became clear again and Monokuma hopped out of his truck with his chainsaw. He cut the tree in half along with Umeko's corpse. The trucks started moving towards what was left of the tree and the lower half of Umeko's body. One by one, the trucks ran over the stump and the corpse until everything was flat.

Monokuma cut a rectangle out of what was left of the corpse and took out a pen wrote on it. It says "A paper made by using 100% Umeko… An environmental-friendly paper!"

* * *

Everyone was speechless. _A paper made out of Umeko… _Nao suddenly threw up. Hana went to his side and looked out for him. Norio turned to Monokuma and shouted, "I don't know how you got those pictures that made one of our kindest classmates to kill but I swear I will find out the truth about it sooner or later!"

"Go ahead! Be my guest! I bet you already know something, Mr. Kurosawa! Upupupu" Monokuma taunted.

"What do you mean by that you ugly bear?" Asuka shouted.

"Nothing… Anyway, gotta go!" Monokuma answered. Just like that, he vanished.

Everyone went Nao who was kneeling on the ground mumbling incoherent words. "U… sh… d… w… b… n… w… n…" All of a sudden, Nao collapsed on the floor.

"N-n-no! What should we do?" Eri asked.

"I'll carry him to his room." Samuru offered.

Suddenly, Norio stopped. "Don't come near him. I don't know if you really did what was on the picture or not, but I am sure Nao wouldn't want to see your face when he wakes up. I'll carry him to his room." Samuru backed off and went out of the room first.

The others were left to help Norio. "Roxanne and Takashiro, help me get him on his back." Norio instructed the others.

Slowly, the two positioned Nao on Norio's back. Once everything was in place, Norio stood up and gave him a piggyback ride. "Hana, follow me. The rest can go back to their rooms."

The two walked to Nao's room. Once they were there, Norio told Hana, "Take his hand and put it on the doorknob. The door will not open unless it is his hand that twists it to open it." Hana did what she was told to do so.

Once they got inside, Norio gently laid Nao onto his bed.

"Hana, thanks for the help. You can leave the room. I will help him get changed. He got some of his vomit on his clothes." Norio told Hana.

"Sure! Tell us when everything is okay." Hana said before she left the room.

Norio changed Nao's clothes and wiped some of the vomit off of his face. Once Nao was clean, he left the room. After that, he went straight to the cafeteria where everyone, except Samuru, was waiting for him.

"Norio, is Nao alright?" Hana asked.

"Yes, he just needs to rest." Norio answered.

"Poor guy! He did not deserve to lose Umeko like that. To see your love tortured in front of you is fucking sick." Asuka commented.

"Nao… I hope he will be fine…" Eri added.

Norio looked at everyone and said, "Don't worry, it will take time but Nao will eventually bounce back from this."

"He better be!" Takashiro said.

Norio looked around and noticed Samuru's absence. "Where is Samuru?"

Hana answered, "He must be in his room. None of us bothered to ask him to join us."

"He must be crazy confused as well. Being the closest to him, I know he does not remember doing anything like that. We need to give him some time as well." Asuka added.

"This is messed up! First was the clip of Manon's sister tied up begging for help and, now, Umeko's parents. What is going on?" Hana shouted.

"Are our l-l-loved ones trapped as well?" Eri asked.

"I hope my family and friends are okay…" Takashiro added.

Everyone was increasingly getting worried about their loved ones. Norio knew he could do so little to make everyone calm down. "Everyone, listen. Monokuma is toying with us. This is what he wanted. He wants us confused and scared. He wants people like Nao and Umeko out of the picture to get what he wants. I know is tough and scary but we need to win against him. If we can't fight him physically, let's fight him psychologically. I know it will be hard but that is all that we could do right now."

Everyone agreed with him.

"Umeko is not with us anymore. No one will be taking care of us like her. Nao is going through a rough patch. Right now, we need to be the ones to take care of Nao to help him bounce back. We need to take care of ourselves. Do you think you can help me do that?" Norio asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Okay, Roxanne, prepare the dinner. After that, let's take some rest." Norio told the group.

* * *

After dinner, one by one, everyone left, except for one. They were sitting where they ate their dinner. They looked at the clock and saw it was already 9:00 pm. They looked around to make sure they were all alone. They turned to one of the cameras in the cafeteria. "It's not like you don't know I remember everything. That means I can say anything I want when it is just me and your cameras Monokuma."

They looked around once more and noticed the emptiness of the cafeteria. It reminded them of the time when everything wasn't this empty; when the place was bursting with laughter; when the cafeteria was full of life.

"How I missed the days when there were seventeen of us in here. Ayumu would make everyone crack up. Kayle was always scolding everyone for being unruly. Umeko would sing after everyone ate hoping Nao will compliment her."

They took out a photo they won from the Isle of Games. They chuckled reminiscing how Monokuma handed them the photo. "He really found it entertaining that I got my own photo. That fucking bear! Number 8… I hate that number! It fucking ruined my life."

They stared at their photo. The photo was of them strangling a woman. "Nao won the photo of Reyes stabbing both mine and Umeko's father. Umeko really loves her father while I did not even shed a tear when I saw that photo."

They looked at the photo and said, "Rei, I am sorry for strangling your stepmom. I really am. I am sorry for not being able to save five of our friends after you died. I know you did what you can but it was too much for you to handle all alone. If I approached you sooner, maybe I could have saved you. But, I was too late to even figure out it was you who saved me."

They continued breaking the fragile silence of the room. They started wondering, "Other than me, Nao, and Umeko, who else won the game? That person got the 'Jackpot'. I wonder what kind of picture they won."

While they were talking to the air, unknown to them, someone was at the other side of the door of the cafeteria. They leaned on it as they listened to the person talk. _What are they talking about? What do they mean when they said 'Rei saved them'? What else do they know? _

While this person was eavesdropping, the door suddenly opened taking them by surprise. They fall onto their butt as they looked at the person who was all alone in the cafeteria. _What, it's… _"Norio…"

Norio was surprised to see someone was outside the cafeteria. "Eri, what are you doing here?"

Eri suddenly asked, "What were you talking about, Norio?"

* * *

**Round And Round We Go (Deadly Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 7**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist(DECEASED)**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 9**

* * *

**That is the last part for chapter 4! I cannot believe this chapter has ended!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed my character Umeko! Was your guess right?**

**What do you guys think of the ending of this update? Do you have any theory on what will happen next?**

**If you want to discuss about this story and other stuff, join the discord server for this story! The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, that is all for now! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	37. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 1

**I can't believe it! First part of chapter 5 is here! I hope you are excited for this! **

**For this chapter, I used Eri's POV! I hope you like this!**

* * *

Eri is on the floor in front of the cafeteria looking at Norio. She was filled with confusion as she locked eyes with the defense attorney. Hearing everything Norio said, Eri tightly hugged her bear, Honey, and trembled in fear. _What was Norio talking about? He does not look mad but he might be. Maybe I should not have listened to him. I should have stayed inside my room._

Eri was unsure of what to do next. All she could do was be as still as she can. Silence took over the whole place. Both were anticipating each other's next move. _Is he going to scold me? Maybe I should just run._

Thinking that running is the best choice, Eri tried to stand up as quickly as she can. However, she kept on falling due to her legs shaking in fear. _What are you doing Eri? J-j-just stand up and go… _This kept happening several times until Norio extended a hand to help her stand.

"Let me help you…" Norio said as he pulled Eri to stand up straight. Now that she was standing, she could not move. _What is wrong with me? I-I-I should run but I can't move. _She stood silently looking at the floor waiting for something to happen.

After a few seconds, Norio started talking. "What are you doing here? It is already late. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Eri answered, "I-I-I came to g-g-get a bottle of water. Th-th-that's all."

Norio opened the door and said, "Let's go get you some water."

Norio went inside while Eri hesitantly followed him. The two were silent. _I am in big trouble. I can feel it._

"The kitchen is still open since it is not nighttime yet." Norio said.

The two went inside the kitchen. Norio opened one of the fridges and grabbed a bottle of water. He immediately gave it to Eri. The two exited the kitchen. Eri was about to exit the cafeteria when Norio shouted. "Wait! We need to talk."

Eri stopped and slowly turned to Norio. "Okay…" Eri said as she slowly walked towards him. She felt her heart was about to burst from nervousness. It felt like the air was being sucked out of her. _Please, someone, help me._

Eri sat down in front of Norio. She placed the bottle of water on the table while she was hugging her bear. She could not look at Norio directly into his eyes. Her fingers were fidgeting the golden fur of her stuffed toy.

Finally, Norio spoke. "What did you hear?"

Eri slowly looked at Norio and answered, "Everything…"

Norio sighed. He looked like another problem on his shoulders. He looked at Eri and said, "I am not the bad guy."

Eri replied with, "Who are you?"

"I am Norio Kurosawa, the Ultimate Defense Attorney, and your friend." Norio answered.

"My friend…" Eri said with uncertainty.

Norio replied, "I am your friend. You should not need to be scared of me. But of course, you are. I am sorry for frightening you. You have always been the most fragile in our group."

_He said he is my friend but he is hiding a lot from me. _Eri asked, "Who were you talking to?"

"No one. I was just screaming at the cameras." Norio answered,

"Why were you talking about Rei?" Eri mumbled.

Eri thought Norio did not understand her. Suddenly, Norio replied, "It's because of this." Norio put out his photo. Eri trembled in fear seeing Norio strangling a woman. "I-I-I heard that is Rei's stepmom."

"Yes, she is." Norio confirmed.

"D-d-did you really kill that woman?" Eri asked.

Norio simply nodded. Eri was surprised to find out about this. _Norio killed someone? I never thought he would do something like this. That is evil but he knew it was bad. He said sorry earlier. But, he was apologizing to Rei about something else._

"Why were you s-s-saying sorry to R-R-Rei? I-I-I know it is not just b-b-because of th-th-that photo." Eri asked. _I am not sure if it is okay for me to keep asking but I think I should clear this up. I will tell this to everyone tomorrow. They need to know._

Norio looked at her. After a few seconds, Norio stood up and was about to exit the room. Suddenly, Eri shouted, "You and… and… and Rei knew something that we don't. I th-th-think you should tell us what you know. It m-m-might help us defeat Monokuma and get out of here."

Norio chuckled and said, "We will never get out of here. Monokuma is not in charge of that."

Eri was surprised to hear this. _Norio is lying! He must be lying. There is no way we cannot get out of here. _Norio's hand was on the door to push it open. Before Norio could open the door, Eri shouted, "I will tell everyone about this!"

Norio stopped and turned to Eri. "Don't. The only thing you will be doing is to bring them more harm. Monokuma is targeting who knows way too much. The less they know, the better."

Eri responded, "I-I-I am a target now, am I?"

"Unfortunately, yes. If you had not heard me, Monokuma would not target you." Norio answered.

"I-I-I would still be a target e-e-even if I d-d-did not hear you." Eri said.

Norio asked, "What are you talking about?"

"I remember Mr. Sadao…" Eri answered.

Norio quickly approached her and talked to her in a more serious tone. "What do you mean?"

"I won the j-j-jackpot and… it m-m-made me d-d-dream of some of the things we-." Eri was cut off by Norio.

"Never tell anyone about this, do you understand me? Don't ever say anything about it. Let it be a secret between you and me. Hide the photo somewhere safe. Now that you know too much, it is our job to protect everyone, got it?" Norio whispered.

Eri simply nodded and asked, "Who is our enemy?"

Norio chuckled and said, "At least you don't know that much." Norio walked away as he was about to leave he said, "Don't trust anyone. Let's just say they are great actors and illusionists." After that, he left Eri alone in the cafeteria.

_Actors and illusionists? I wonder what he meant by that. _Eri took her bottle of water and left the cafeteria. She was thinking about Norio telling her to hide the photo. _Somewhere safe… _She looked at Honey and instantly got an idea. She ran to the storage since it was almost 10 pm. She grabbed a sewing kit and a zipper and went back to her room.

Immediately, using her skills, she carefully cut the back of Honey, sewed a zipper, and put the photo inside Honey. _Nobody will be able to get Honey from me. Honey is the safest place to hide the photo._

After setting aside the sewing kit, she lied down on her bed with Honey beside her. She tucked herself in her blanket and looked at the ceiling. After a few seconds, she started talking to herself. "Grandma, I lost two friends today. Their names are Mako and Umeko. Umeko was the kindest person here. She always helped everyone out. She was willing to listen to me even if I stutter. My other friend, Mako, is a ball of energy! They are a chatterbox but there was never a dull moment when they are around. Now that they are with you in heaven, please take care of them for me. Grandma, please help me do the right thing. I don't want to lose another friend…"

All of a sudden, Eri's tears came rushing down her cheeks. "I… I… I… I want them to stay with me a little bit longer!" After a few minutes, Eri cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The morning came. Everyone was greeted with the morning announcement from Monokuma. "Wake up sleepyheads! It's a new day!"

Eri slowly woke up from her slumber. She took her bear and got ready for the day. After finishing her morning routine, she dressed herself up with her normal clothes, grabbed her bear and her tablet, and headed out of her room.

As soon as she opened her door, she saw Norio walking out of his room. She quickly ran towards him. She greeted her with, "He-He-Hello! Uhmmm… About last night…" She was immediately cut off by Norio.

"Don't bring it up right now. People are awake." Norio said.

Eri says, "I'm sorry. I j-j-just wanted to tell you I-I-I've hidden the photo."

Norio simply said, "Good…"

The two went together to the cafeteria. The walk was silent. The tension was palpable. All Eri could think of is that it was her fault. _Stupid Eri… I need to be better at doing this so I can help Norio help our friends! _She looked at her bear thinking of the photo inside of it. _At least I have hidden the photo already._

They finally arrived at the cafeteria. Norio opened the door and let Eri walk in first. Norio soon followed. Hana and Takashiro were the only ones inside the cafeteria. The two were surprised to see Eri with Norio.

"Norio, what are you doing with Eri?" Hana asked.

"It was just a coincidence that both of us were on the way here." Norio answered.

"G-g-good morning!" Eri greeted the two.

"Good morning Eri!" Hana said.

Takashiro got off his seat and went to Eri. "Let's sit together!" Takashiro said.

Eri nodded. Takashiro motioned her to their seats. Norio soon sat down in front of the three.

"Is Nao in the kitchen?" Norio asked.

"Nope! It is only Roxanne who is cooking for us this morning." Hana answered.

"Just as I expected." Norio replied.

Hana giggled and said, "You are really worried about Nao, aren't you? Yesterday, you looked adorable rushing to help Nao. Do you like him? If you want to confess something, we will accept you no matter what."

_Hana is so brave to tease Norio. I will never be able to do that._

"Stop it, Hana! I just did what I thought was right yesterday." Norio answered.

Hana did not want to back down. "Just admit it! You think of Nao as your friend!"

Norio suddenly stopped. "No… No! No, I don't!" Everyone was surprised by how he answered. This made Hana tease her more.

"You do! Is he your only friend here? Don't tell me he is your first friend? But, I would not be surprised that he is your first friend knowing your personality." Hana said.

"Stop it, Hana! He is not my friend." Norio kept on defending himself.

Takashiro finally chimed in. "It would make sense though. You talk to Nao more compared to all of us. There is no harm in admitting you think of him as a friend!"

_I think Norio thinks of all of us as friends. He wants to protect us. If that is not what a friend does, then I don't know what a friend should do. _The teasing continued with Hana leading it and Takashiro adding more teases using his puppets. Eventually, Hana grew tired of it and the teasing stopped.

Not long after, Asuka came out of the kitchen with plates of foods on a serving cart. "Sorry to keep you waiting! It was hard to prepare all of this on my own." Asuka gave each one their plate of food. Once she was done, she sat down with everyone. _This looks delicious! Roxanne can cook as well if she becomes serious about it._

"I know it does not look as appetizing as what Nao and Umeko cook but I think it will be enough for now." Asuka said.

"You're wrong… I-I-It looks as good as what Nao and Umeko usually prepare." Eri said.

"Thank you! Anyway, dig in!" Asuka said.

Everyone started eating. Asuka notices the absence of Nao and Samuru. "Nao and Samuru are not yet here."

"Nao must be still mourning over the death of his girlfriend." Hana said.

"What happened to him sucked! When they finally confessed their feelings for each other, one of them dies. It sounds like a weird tragedy Shakespeare would write." Takashiro said.

"I can't believe Umeko really killed Mako." Asuka said.

"But I can't blame her. Even if I have seen a photo of one of us killing my parents, I would have snapped. I guess that is how powerful Monokuma is." Hana replied.

"She did not want us to die. All she wanted was revenge. She was ready to be executed. I will never be as brave as her." Takashiro said.

"Right now, Nao needs us. I want to help him the way he and Umeko helped me when Ayumu died." Hana said. Everyone agreed.

"I will bring him his food after this. I am sure he will not come out of his room anytime soon." Norio said.

Everyone continued eating. When everyone was almost finished with their meal, Samuru appeared.

"Samuru!" Asuka shouted.

"Good morning everyone!" Samuru greeted them.

"I thought you weren't going to come out of your room. I was planning to bring you your breakfast." Asuka said.

"There is no need to do that. I am fully capable of getting here." Samuru replied. Then, Samuru sat beside Norio and joined everyone.

"How are you Samuru?" Hana asked.

"I am just confused by the picture. I need time to process everything. I just want to be alone right now. I hope that is okay with everyone." Samuru answered.

_Samuru is confused as well. I guess the last trial really affected most of us. Losing Umeko was a shock and her photo was even more surprising. _Eventually, everyone was finished eating. Samuru was the first to leave. He was followed by Norio who was going to bring Nao's meal. Asuka and Hana helped each other in washing the dishes. Eri and Takashiro were left inside the cafeteria.

The two were talking like they normally would. "Eri, do you have any plan for today?" Takashiro asked.

"I am f-f-free for today." Eri answered.

"Perfect! Let's tour the whole place! Maybe we might find something new and tell everyone about it!" Takashiro shouted. Takashiro stood up and grabbed Eri and grabbed her by the hand. The two ran out of the room.

"We'll definitely find something new! I can feel it!" Takashiro said.

_I wish Takashiro can act like this more whenever everyone else is around. He always takes the lead but when people are around, I suddenly become the one who came up with the idea. _The two first toured the first floor and found nothing. The two went to the second floor and still found nothing important. When they arrived at the third floor, something quickly caught their attention.

"Look, Eri! The Chemical Storage Room and the Chemistry Lab are out of order! I knew it! We found something new!" Takashiro pointed out.

The doors of the two rooms were covered in yellow tape. The tape said, "Do not cross the line! The room is out of order!"

"Wh-wh-why would these r-r-rooms be out of order?" Eri asked.

"It is weird! I guess we should investigate!" Takashiro said.

"Sure…" Eri said. The approached the doors and looked at it.

"This was not here yesterday, right?" Takashiro asked.

"I-I-I don't think so." Eri answered.

Takashiro touches the tape and asks, "Why would Monokuma do this though?"

_Something must have happened to this room to be out of order…_

"We should tell this to everyone during lunch! It will be an interesting topic! I wonder what Norio will tell us to do about this." Takashiro said. _Norio will tell us to do the right thing._

* * *

Lunchtime came. Everyone except for Nao and Samuru was there. Asuka was done cooking and had just served the food. Everyone is about to dig in when Samuru came.

"Just in time!" Hana said.

After everyone was seated, the group started eating. While they were eating, Takashiro brought up what they discovered earlier. "Guys, we toured the building and Eri found something earlier." _Me? He was the one who first pointed it out._

Everyone turned to Eri. "What is it?" Hana asked.

"Uhmmm…" Eri turned to Takashiro for help.

"There is no need to be shy!" Takashiro said.

Eri took a deep breath and said, "Uhmmm… Takashiro and I s-s-saw the Ch-Ch-Chemistry Lab and the Chemical St-t-torage Room were out of order. The doors were covered in yellow tape…"

"That is strange. Why would Monokuma do that?" Hana asked.

"Whatever it is, Monokuma must have a fucking reason for doing so. It must be something to mess us with." Asuka said.

"Thanks for telling us Eri about that. We should try to stay away from that place for now since we don't know what Monokuma is planning to do with those rooms." Norio told everyone.

_As expected, Norio told us what is best for us. I should try to be like him now that he told me I need to help him as well. _

The group continued with their lunch. Just like breakfast, Samuru was the first to go. Norio soon followed him to bring Nao lunch. Asuka and Hana were gathering the plates to wash the dishes. Eri and Takashiro were left in the cafeteria. Eri was waiting for what Takashiro wanted to do next.

"Let's help the girls with the plates!" Takashiro said.

Eri simply nodded. The two went into the kitchen and saw Asuka and Hana were about to start washing.

"Hi guys! Are you going to wash the dishes?" Takashiro asked.

"Yes!" Hana answered.

"Eri and I can wash it for you guys. Eri thought you guys might need some help." Takashiro said.

"Oh, sure! Thank you guys!" Hana said. The two girls left the dishes to Eri and Takashiro. Takashiro was the one who will wash while Eri is in charge of drying the dishes.

While they were washing, Eri asked, "Why d-d-do you keep on d-d-doing this?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Takashiro answered.

"You a-a-always do this. I-I-It's your idea, n-n-not mine." Eri added.

Takashiro simply answered, "It's better this way."

* * *

The time soon passed by. It was already night. The group had finished eating their dinner. Samuru was the first to go. Norio asked Asuka for Nao's meal. "I will be going." Norio said as he left the room with Nao's dinner.

Eri and Takashiro were left in the cafeteria alone as Asuka and Hana washed the dishes in the kitchen. Takashiro quickly brought up Nao. "What do you think we should do to help Nao?"

"I am not sure… There is not much s-s-since he is locked in his room." Eri answered.

"I wish we could do something to lift his spirits. He has been one of the most helpful people here and I feel like we owe him so much. I wish I could sneak into his room and perform for him." Takashiro answered.

"Let's just be his f-f-friend for now. If he e-e-ever needs something, l-l-let's make sure t-t-to give it to him." Eri added.

Takashiro said, "Eri, for someone who claimed to have no friends, you are doing fine being a friend!" Takashiro smiled at her.

The two were about to leave to go to bed when Norio came back with a plate of food. Eri and Takashiro stopped and were curious about it. Norio's face was painted with worry. He went straight to the kitchen and did not bother to look at the two. The two followed him.

"He did not want to eat again." Norio told Asuka and Hana.

"That is bad! He has not eaten anything today." Hana said.

"Should we just leave the food here for Nao to find?" Asuka asked.

Norio sighed. "I guess that is all we can do. But, I doubt he would come out of his room to eat."

Eri and Takashiro were lost in the conversation. Eri asked, "N-N-Nao did not eat anything t-t-today?"

The three turned to the two. Hana answered, "Right, you guys weren't here whenever Norio came back with Nao's food."

"Th-th-that's dangerous! He might get sick!" Eri said.

_What should I do? All I can do is tell Nao to eat but will he even listen to me? Can I even tell him to do it? _Eri was out of ideas. However, she thought she had to do something about it. "Uhmmm… C-C-Can I try giving Nao's meal?" Eri asked the group.

The three looked at each other. Norio gave her the meal and said, "Here, if he does not open the door, just leave. This lunch, I waited for him to answer the door for thirty minutes but he did not even say one word."

Eri nodded and went off. She held the plate in one hand while she dragged her bear. _Nao must be hungry. I should hurry. _

Once she got to Nao's room, she knocked three times. _What should I say? 'Nao, it's your dinner!'. That sounds wrong. Uhmmm… _Eri could not think of anything so she knocked on the door three times again. _Just say something, Eri!_

Eri took a deep breath and uttered, "Uhmmm… N-N-Nao…" _I am too quiet. I have to be louder._

She knocked again three times and shouted, "N-N-Nao!" _That should be loud enough. But, what if he could not hear me? Maybe he has already passed out from hunger. Oh no! He needs help! _Eri suddenly panicked when she entertained the idea of Nao passing out.

She knocked on Nao's door continuously until the door suddenly opened.

"What is it again, Norio!" Nao shouted. He greeted Eri wearing his dirty pajamas.

Nao looked down and saw Eri holding a plate of meal. "Eri?"

"Nao, p-p-please eat! I-I-I heard you haven't eaten anything t-t-today, so please eat this!" Eri said.

"Just leave me alone…" Nao said. As he was about to close the door, Eri put her foot between the door and the doorframe.

"N-n-no! Eat! You m-m-might get sick!" Eri insisted.

Nao looked at Eri with confusion.

"Why are you doing this?" Nao asked.

"Because you are my friend… And… I will do anything for my friends! So please eat!" Eri answered.

Nao answered, "Be a good friend and leave me alone…" Nao kicked Eri's foot out of the way and slammed the door. Eri lost her balance and fell to the ground. She accidentally threw the plate. The plate shattered into countless pieces while the food was on the floor.

_Oh no! No! No! No! No! What am I going to do now? Nao needs to eat! This is all of my fault! I have to clean this up. _Eri started picking up the pieces of the broken plate. As she was picking up the shards, she cut her right index finger. _Ouch! _Eri's finger started bleeding.

Suddenly, Takashiro ran to her. "Hey! Are you alright?"

Eri nodded. Then, Takashiro saw her cut. "Did Nao do this to you?"

"No… I accidentally cut m-m-myself while cleaning this mess." Eri answered.

"Let's go back to the cafeteria first and clean up this mess later." Takashiro said. The two went to the cafeteria. Asuka and Hana were there while Norio was already gone.

The two immediately saw Eri's bleeding finger. "What happened?" Hana asked.

"I'll go get a first aid kit from the clinic." Asuka said.

"Hana, please take care of her. I will be cleaning up some mess." Takashiro said before he left.

Eri wanted to come with him but Hana stopped her. "Let's get your wound cleaned first."

"B-B-But, I made the mess. Nao wasn't even able to eat… I… I… I am messing things up…" Eri said. All of a sudden, Eri started crying. She could not fight back the tears any longer. Hana was surprised by this.

"What happened?" Hana asked. Eri told her everything as she sobbed her heart out.

"I am so sorry. I-I-I tried to help b-b-but…" Eri said.

Hana quickly said, "Don't be like that."

"I am such a bad friend…" Eri continued.

"No! You are a great friend Eri! You did what you can. Sometimes, great guys like Nao can be an ass when they are not in the mood. Just give him time. The Nao we love will come back to us." Hana said.

"You really think so?" Eri asked.

"Of course, I do! I have been in Nao's position. He can cry and shut the world all he wants but there will come a time that he will realize all this shit he is doing is not helping him and he will need his friends to help him." Hana answered.

"Thanks! I-I-I really needed that." Eri said.

Hana added. "Anytime!"

The two remained quiet waiting for either Asuka or Takashiro to come back. Suddenly, Hana asked, "Did Takashiro let Nao do that to you?"

Eri was surprised by this. "What d-d-do you mean?"

"Right after you went off, Takashiro followed you. He surely must have caught up with you." Hana answered.

"He wasn't there…" Eri answered. _Takashiro followed me? He only approached me when I was picking up the plates._

"Oh…" Hana said.

The two were silent again. Hana then asked, "Why do you stick around with Takashiro all the time? He isn't that useful in anything and acts childish, sometimes more childish than you. Why?"

"Well… He is kind to me. And, he is m-m-more than what he l-l-let other p-p-people see him as." Eri answered.

"Really? What do you mean by that?" Hana continued.

"Uhmmm… He acts ch-ch-childish but he always makes the r-r-right decisions. Some of my ideas a-a-actually come from him. He j-j-just asks me to t-t-take the credit." Eri answered.

"Why?" Hana asked.

"I don't know." Eri answered.

"If he is really like that, why is he pretending to be so childish?" Hana asked.

_I don't think he is pretending to be childish. I think he is childish but acts mature when it is needed. He knows when to be serious. _After a few seconds, Asuka came back with a kit. "Let's fix that finger."

The two took care of Eri's finger. After doing so, Eri thanked the two of them. "Thank you! Hana, I-I-I never thought you c-c-could give a piece of serious advice. Roxanne, you c-c-can be responsible i-i-if you wanted to."

The two laughed at Eri's comments. Hana turned to Asuka and said, "I guess we have come a long way since we all first met each other."

"That is the fucking truth!" Asuka replied.

Hana turned to Eri and said, "You have changed as well. You can now speak your mind more."

Eri smiled after hearing Hana's comment. _It is because I trust you all as my friends._

After a few seconds, Takashiro came back. "Sorry! It took me longer to clean up the mess than I expected."

Takashiro took a look at Eri's finger. "Yehey! You're patched up!"

"Roxanne did that." Hana said.

"Thank you Roxanne!" Takashiro.

"Of course! Anything for my friends!" Asuka said.

Eri looked at Takashiro with glee. As she was staring, she accidentally blurted out, "You are like my older brother."

"You have an older brother, Eri?" Hana asked.

_Did I just say that out loud? _Eri suddenly realized what she said. "Oh, I-I-I meant if I had an older b-b-brother, I-I-I think he would be like T-T-Takashiro…"

"So you think of me as an older brother?" Takashiro asked.

Eri simply nodded.

"Well, that is fine with me. I guess I have a new sister now!" Takashiro said.

After that, Asuka and Hana went out of the cafeteria together. Eri and Takashiro soon followed. The two were on their way to their rooms. Eri starts a conversation with Takashiro. "Earlier, you s-s-said I was a g-g-great friend. D-D-Do you really th-th-think so?"

"You are a great friend to everyone here. Don't ever think you aren't! If someone thinks you are a bad friend, something is wrong with them. Why are you asking? Did someone tell you that you were a bad friend?" Takashiro asked.

"No… I j-j-just want to know…" Eri answered.

"Just be your regular self and you will be a great friend." Takashiro said.

The two eventually reached their rooms. Takashiro was the first to enter his room. As Eri was about to enter her room, Norio appeared and was about to enter his room as well. _I should ask him what I can do to help. _Eri let go of the doorknob and started walking towards Norio. Before she could get to him, Norio entered his room. _I guess I will just ask him tomorrow._

She went inside her room and got ready to sleep. She took her bear beside her. Before she slept, she talked again to her grandma. "Hi grandma! A lot of things happened today. I was kicked by one of my friends but don't be angry at him. He is going through some stuff right now. Please help me help everyone else. I want to be a great friend to everyone." After that, Eri unknowingly fell asleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you guys liked it!**

**What do you guys think of Eri's POV? Next update will feature another POV. Whose POV do you think it will be?**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is all for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	38. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 2

**For this update, we have Norio's POV! I hope you guys are excited to see parts of how he thinks on a daily basis!**

* * *

It was already midnight. Most of them have already fallen asleep while some found it difficult to lie on their bed and wait for their eyes to shut. One person, in particular, is haunted by numerous worries. All he could do is think about them forcing him to be awake.

Norio is on his bed looking at his ceiling thinking about his situation. He looked at the ceiling hoping he would attain some sort of peace. However, he knew that was impossible. As long as Monokuma is around, he will never be at peace.

He turned and shuffled on his bed trying to find the position that will help him fall asleep. But, it was all for nothing. It only made him more awake. Realizing this, he became frustrated. Immediately, he took off his blanket and got out of his bed. He walked to a chair in his room and sat down.

_This is frustrating. _Norio thought as he looked at his messy bed wishing he was already asleep on it. Ever since Ayumu's death, Norio has never easily fallen asleep. After Umeko's death, his condition became worse. _Monokuma is becoming more cunning. If we are not careful, Umeko's death will not be the last. _

Thinking about one of them dying built up Norio's anger. He clenched his fist and slammed it onto the arm of the chair. _I am not going to let that happen. No one is dying. This has to end now. _Norio's anger has even made him more awake.

He stood up and took his tablet on his bedside table. He opened it and looked at everyone's profile. One by one, he read the profiles. Suddenly, he stopped at one of the profiles. It was Eri's. He looked at her photo. Worry started to build up the longer he stared. _Eri is in trouble. Monokuma has been out to get me and Rei from the start because we know too much. He has not gotten me yet because I am not as fragile as Rei. If Monokuma targets Eri next, I am not sure she will be able to handle it._

Slowly, he took deep breaths to calm himself down. _Eri needs to be protected. I will not let anyone harm her. _Norio continued to dwell on Eri. _What will Monokuma do this time? I am sure he will be presenting a new motive tomorrow. He might target Eri then. I need to make sure she will be always safe._

After that, Norio continued to scroll the profiles. There was only one profile left. It was Nao's. He opened it and looked at Nao. _Nao is going through a lot right now. I wish I can comfort him but I have never been good with that kind of stuff. It is him who's been the one who is good at this. If there was only another Nao to lift his spirit, Nao would be back to normal by now._

Norio can't help but feel sorry for Nao. He wants to help him but he could not figure out what to do. _I need to talk to him and force him to go back to normal but that would be insensitive. He is still mourning but for how long will he do this? I still have to try even if I will come off as cold._

After that, Norio turned off his tablet. He sat quietly as he pondered on what will happen next. _Based on Monokuma's previous actions, he will definitely present a new motive. I am not sure what it will be but I have to be prepared. Right now, Monokuma can throw anything at us as a motive. He knows so much about us that he could twist everything into his liking._

As Norio continued to worry, he let out a yawn. Finally, drowsiness was catching up to him. He stretched his arms and looked at the time in his tablet. _1:19… _He walked to his bed and lied down. He set aside his tablet. After a few seconds, Norio finally fell asleep.

* * *

Morning came. It was already past Monokuma's morning announcement. Unlike the others, Norio was not woken up by the animatronics' loud and annoying voice. He was still peacefully sleeping unbothered by everything around him. Covered in his blanket, he felt safe and that no one would disrupt his slumber.

All of a sudden, three loud knocks came from his door. However, it did not wake him up. After a few more seconds, three more knocks were made. This was when Norio slowly wakes up. He first reached out his arm for his tablet. Then, he looked at the time. _7:47… _After that, he got up and sat on his bed. He looked around his room and yawned. _What was that sound?_

Another three loud knocks were heard. This time, Norio clearly heard it. He got up and went to his door. _This is a first. No one has knocked on my door before. _Slowly, he opened the door to reveal Eri standing in front of his room.

"Uhmmm… D-D-Did I wake you up?" Eri asked.

"Yes…" Norio answered.

"C-C-Can I talk to you in your room?" Eri asked.

Norio immediately answered, "No. Someone might see us."

Eri immediately replied "Everyone is already in the cafeteria… except for Nao. I-I-I think it is safe."

Norio looked around the hallway. After that, he looked back inside his room. _Good thing I am not a messy person. _The only thing that was unorganized was his bed. "Come in." Norio said. Eri quickly went inside his room.

Immediately, Norio motioned Eri to a chair. She sat down and put her bear on her lap. Norio sat down on his bed. He looked at Eri and could see how awkward she was. _You are pushing yourself too much, Eri. You are forcing yourself in an uncomfortable situation for the sake of others. _Norio then asked, "What is it?"

Eri took a second to answer. "How can I help everyone?" _I already expected that question._

Norio smiled and answered, "You don't need to force yourself too much. Just help everyone out in any way you can. If you notice something weird, tell me. Don't hide it from me."

Eri nodded. "I-I-Is that all?"

"That is all for now." Norio answered.

"Okay… Uhmmm… I have another q-q-question." Eri said.

"What is it?" Norio asked.

"Who is our enemy?" Eri asked. _I wish I could tell you but Monokuma is watching us. The moment you find out, you will become another prime target of Monokuma._

Norio just smiled and said, "Aren't you hungry? You should eat breakfast first."

Eri smiled and said, "L-L-Let's go together."

"Why don't you wait outside while I get ready." Norio said.

Eri then went outside. After that, Norio did his morning routine. He brushed his teeth, took a bath, and changed into new clothes. Before he left, he grabbed his tablet. When he opened the door, Eri was standing in front waiting for him.

"L-L-Let's go…" Eri said.

The two started walking to the cafeteria. They were both silent as before. Norio could feel the awkwardness emanating from Eri. Eri was hugging her bear as she walked while looking down on the floor. _This is awkward. _Norio continued to disregard it. However, when he looked at Eri who suddenly looked at him, he felt obligated to say something.

"Uhmmm…" Norio said. _What should I ask her? _

"A-A-Are you wondering ab-b-bout Nao?" Eri asked.

Norio immediately answered, "Yes. How was he?"

"He did not eat. He… kicked me t-t-to get rid of me…" Eri answered.

_Kicked Eri? Nao is out of his mind. I guess I will have to talk to him then. _Unknown to Norio, anger was painted all over his face. Eri quickly tugged his sleeve and said, "D-D-Don't be angry. I am sure he did not m-m-mean to be rude."

Norio quickly calmed down and said, "I am not angry. I am disappointed."

Eri said, "L-L-Losing Umeko hurt him so much."

"It did." Norio said.

The two continued to talk about random topics. At first, it was Norio who was trying to keep the conversation. However, it was Eri who kept the conversation going. _She is finally coming out of her shell. _Eventually, the two made it to the cafeteria. Norio opened the door for Eri.

"Thank you…" Eri said as she entered the cafeteria. _No problem._

Norio closed the door as he entered. Immediately, Eri sat beside Takashiro while Norio took his time to sit beside Hana. Before Norio and Eri arrived, there were only three people inside. Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro were talking like they usually would. It was filled with laughter and smiles. The atmosphere was free from problems. It felt like a safe space to be in.

Norio sat silently as he observed the three talk while Eri tries to catch up with the conversation. As usual, Hana was the one leading the conversation with her teases. _Hana is such a tease. She is lucky that she comes off as bubbly. _

He turned his attention to Asuka who was Hana's victim in the conversation. She was taking every insulting joke about her with a smile. _She can be unruly but she is trying to adjust to everyone. Not a lot of people would be willing like her._

Then, he turned to Takashiro who was quietly laughing at the girls' banter. He would occasionally join Hana in the jokes. _Takashiro, you are smarter than what you are letting us believe. Why are you so afraid to show that mature side of yours?_

After that, he started eating his breakfast along with Eri. After three bites, Hana's attention suddenly turned to him. "Hey, what is up with you and Eri?"

It caught Norio off-guard. He almost swallowed a whole chunk of meat. Before he answered, he drank a glass of water. He turned to Hana and asked, "What do you mean?"

Hana smiled and said, "This is the second time you guys went to breakfast together. Also, this time, you guys were smiling at each other. So, is she your best friend?" Suddenly, everyone turned to Norio. Eri immediately blushed from this.

"Of course not. It was just pure coincidence." Norio answered. _How come I suddenly became Hana's victim? _After that, Norio went back to eating his breakfast.

Suddenly, Hana turned to Eri. "Are you Norio's friend? No lying!"

Eri struggled to answer. She kept looking at Norio and everyone else. "Uhmmm… I think so…" _I guess Hana will have something new to tease me about._

Hana immediately clapped. "Our Norio is starting to make friends! This is a miracle This calls for a celebration!" _Is it really that big of a deal? _

Takashiro then pulled Eri closer to him and said, "I will let Eri be your friend but I am her best friend! Remember that, okay!" _I know that._

Seeing this ruckus, he could not help but laugh at it. _I have always thought of you all as my friends. _The three stopped when they saw Norio let out a small laugh. Asuka pointed at Norio and said, "You giggled. Who are you?"

Norio rolled his eyes and told them, "Why can't I laugh?"

Takashiro said, "It is not like that. It is just we have never seen you laugh." Takashiro turned to Eri and said, "What did you do to him?"

"N-N-Nothing…" Eri answered.

Norio suddenly asks, "What did you take me for? A robot?"

All of them looked at each other. In unison, they answered, "Yes." _Well, I can't blame them for having this kind of perception of me. I have been cold and distant. _Norio shook his head and let out another small laugh.

"His laughing again!" Asuka said.

"He must have lost it." Hana added,

Norio suddenly shouts, "I am fine okay! I laugh when I want to laugh! Seriously, I am not a robot." _This is bringing me back a lot of memories. _After this, Norio continued to eat while the group opened another topic.

After a few seconds, Norio suddenly stopped. He gazed at everyone. However, it felt like they were incomplete. _Where is Samuru? Eri said everyone is here. _Then, he asked about Samuru. "Did Samuru eat already?"

"Yes. He left before you guys arrived. Why?" Hana answered.

"Oh… Okay…" Norio said.

Takashiro then asked, "Why? Is there a problem with Samuru?"

Norio quickly answered, "Of course, there is none. I was just wondering where he is since Eri told me every one is here."

"Oh, okay…" Takashiro said.

As they were continuing with their conversations, Monokuma's voice filled the school. The audio system was turned on and Monokuma made an announcement. The group stopped with what they were doing and listened to the announcement.

"Hello, twerps! Go to the gymnasium, now! Attendance will be checked!" Monokuma shouted. Then, he turned off the audio system. As soon as the system was off, he finished his meal and the group went to the gymnasium.

On their way, they met with Samuru. As soon as his eyes laid on him, he noticed how lethargic Samuru was. It was as if the Samuru he was looking at is not Samuru. He was pale and had dark eye bags. _What happened to him? _He approached him and asked, "Are you alright?"

Samuru turned to him and answered, "Yes. Don't worry about me. I'm just having a problem falling asleep."

After that, Norio did not bother him anymore. Eventually, the group made it to the gymnasium. All of them decided to sit on the bleachers while they waited for Monokuma. As they were waiting, the group would talk about random topics. Mostly, it was Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro who were doing the talking. Norio and Eri were both listening while Samuru is dozing off. The group was laughing with everything Hana had to say. It was the first time since the party for the gymnasium to be filled with echoes of laughter.

As the group was talking, the door suddenly opened. Everyone stopped and looked in that direction. There they saw Nao standing wearing his dirty pajamas. _Nao, you finally went out of your room. _Hana quickly waved a hi to him and shouted, "Nao! Sit with us!"

Nao only looked at her and walked towards the bleacher. He did not sit with the group but he was near them. Seeing Nao in his current state, all of them could only think of pitying him. _We need to help you. _

Everyone wanted to talk to him and reassure him everything is going to be fine but no one could find the courage to talk to him except for one. Eri stood up and sat beside him. Seeing this surprised everyone.

Eri started speaking. "Hi Nao! Uhmmm… A-A-Are you hungry?"

She waited for him to respond but all she got was Nao ignoring her. However, this did not stop her. She stood in front of him and smiled. "Uhmmm… D-D-Do you need anything? Sh-sh-should we get you food?"

Eri leaned closer and said, "I-I-If you n-n-need anything, Honey and I will get it for you!"

All of a sudden, Nao pushed Eri on the head making her fall to the ground. "Get out of my face."

Seeing this, everyone rushed to Eri's side. People were fuming with anger. Hana and Takashiro helped Eri stand up again. "Hey, are you fine? Can you stand up?" Hana asked,

Eri simply nodded.

Out of everyone, Asuka was the angriest of them all. "You could have just told her to leave you alone. Why did you have to push her? She was being nice to you! Just because Umeko d-" Asuka immediately stopped herself. She took a deep breath and continued. "You did not have to be a douche, douchebag!"

No matter what Asuka said, it did not matter. It was clear in Nao's face he was not listening, that he was not mentally present. _Nao needs to get it together. I will have to talk to him later._

All of a sudden, Monokuma appeared. Seeing all of the commotions made him giggle. "Damn! I haven't even given the motive and people are fighting already! It looks like things will be interesting. Upupupu!"

Hearing his voice, everyone gathered at the center. Everyone distanced themselves from Nao except for Norio. Norio looked around and noticed this. _This is not the time to make Nao feel alone. But then again, he pushed the sweetest person here to the floor. Nao can be such an ass when he is upset._

He slowly walked towards the space between the group and Nao. As everyone looks at Monokuma, Norio made his way. Once he was in between the group and Nao, he stopped. Discreetly, he took a glance at Nao.

Now that he has seen Nao up close, all he could think of was pity for him. He was wearing his dirty pajamas. His hair was unkempt as well. His face that is usually full of life is now only a blank slate void of emotion. _You should take care of yourself, Nao. Umeko will not be happy if she sees you like this._

Norio's eyes were glued on to Nao. However, Monokuma suddenly spoke. The obnoxious tone of Monokuma's voice immediately snapped Norio back to normal. He turned to Monokuma ready to listen to him.

"Hello shit-for-brains! Today, I will be presenting your new motive!" Monokuma shouted. _I thought so._

"What is it this time, Monokuma?" Samuru asked.

Monokuma chuckled. The bear turned to the executioner and said, "Ooohhh! Are you excited about it too?"

Suddenly, Samuru grabbed his ax and pointed it at Monokuma. "You watch your tone or I will rip you to shreds."

Immediately, Monokuma said, "Sorry! Got a little carried away!"

After that, Samuru put down his ax. He crossed his arms and was ready to listen.

"Anyway, your new motive is the new floor!" Monokuma shouted.

All of a sudden, everyone's tablets were ringing. As soon as Norio's buzzed, he took it out and read the new file Monokuma sent. _It is the complete floor plan of the fourth floor. _Baffled by this, he looked at Monokuma with confusion. _The fourth floor? What is in there that will make us kill each other?_

"I am not yet done. Starting today, your rooms will be on the fourth floor! I have already moved your stuff there. That is the reason why I got here a little late. All of you have too many clothes. Those were fucking heavy." Monokuma added.

Everyone was surprised by this. "We have bedrooms on the fourth floor?" Asuka asked.

"Yes! Were you even listening, bird brain?" Monokuma answered.

Everyone had so many questions. Each one raised their own concerns about this. The questions started mixing and turning into rumblings. It was too noisy. Suddenly, Monokuma clapped. One by one, people shut up until there was only silence. Monokuma eventually stopped and said, "I have to go! I got something to take care of! If you have questions, I don't fucking care! Goodbye!"

Just like that, Monokuma disappeared. As soon as he was gone, everyone looked at each other hoping for someone to know something. However, everyone was confused. _I think it is time we check it out._

"Let's explore the new floor together." Norio suggested.

Everyone looked at him, including Nao. No one looked like they were against his ideas. Seeing the trust in their faces, Norio started walking out of the gymnasium. Immediately, everyone followed. The group first climbed a flight of stairs.

Once they reached the third floor, Norio called out Nao's attention. "Nao, I don't think you know this already. That is why I am telling you this. The chemical storage room and chemistry lab are off-limits right now. We are not sure why."

After that, the group finally made it to the fourth floor. The first thing they noticed was the statues of all sixteen of them. The likeness of the statue to their real counterparts was uncanny. Staring at it was unsettling. Norio went closer to his statue and touched it. He wiped his hands on the statue. After touching it, he turned to everyone and said, "These are just wax figures." _I can't believe these tacky statues are still here._

Hearing this, everyone moved on to the rooms. The first thing they found was a wooden door. It looked like a normal office door. Norio was the first one to approach it. He tried to open it, however, it was locked. "We have another locked room."

They went to the next room. The door was similar to the first door. It was also locked. _Why is Monokuma hiding the contents of this room?_

They immediately moved on to the next set of rooms. The group continued to walk around the hallway. Quickly, they saw eight rooms on their right and eight rooms on their left. The rooms on their right were for the men and Mako while the other eight were for the women. Each door had a pixelated icon of the owner of the room. As they were looking at the doors, they immediately noticed the arrangements of their rooms are the same as their original quarters.

As they were looking at the doors, Nao left the group. As soon as he found his room, he went in and slammed the door closed. The loud thud surprised everyone. _Tonight, I will talk to him. _Seeing everyone's reaction, Norio grabbed everyone's attention.

"Let's look into our own rooms later. I think we should continue looking around the floor." Norio told everyone. Everyone followed his suggestion.

The group continued walking only to found one new room. The door was painted in a variety of flowers. Its doorknob was silver and had a sign hanging on it. The sign was rectangular. It said, "Welcome! We are open!"

Without hesitation, Norio opened the door and they were greeted by a beautiful garden. It was filled with a variety of plants. The floor was like a meadow. It was covered by freshly trimmed grass. There were also cobblestone paths. The group continued wandering and saw ponds and fountains. Eventually, the group stopped when there was nothing left to find.

Before leaving, Norio pointed out something. "Everyone, look up."

Just like Norio told them to do, everyone looked up and saw that the ceiling was made of glass. After so long, they were finally able to see the blue sky. There were clouds floating. A flock of birds passed by as well. Being stuck inside the building, the group was happy just to see a glimpse of the outside world.

Suddenly, Takashiro shouted, "We can shatter that and get out of here!"

Immediately, Samuru positioned himself. He grabbed his ax and flung it to the glass. Everyone was excited. All of them were anticipating the loud, cracking noise of the glass. To see it crack was the only thing the group wanted to see. _To see it crack would be amazing but I know that is not going to happen._

The ax finally hit the glass. However, it only created a loud thud and the ax bounced back to the ground. Hana ran to the ax and tried to pull it out. "No! Why didn't it shatter the glass? It should have cracked! It should have! Why?"

All of a sudden, Hana's tears flowed down her cheeks. Norio went to her and tried to console her. "It is a shatter-proof glass. Monokuma knew that to mess with us." Samuru followed and took back his ax.

"Maybe my ax is not sharp enough. I shall sharpen it later." Samuru said. _Why bother?_

Norio shouted, "Everyone, listen up! Those are shatter-proof glass. It will not crack easily."

Everyone's hopes of getting out were suddenly crushed into tiny million pieces. Hearing this broke their hearts. Seeing the outside only made them long more to get out. _We should get out of here before people start freaking out about this._

Norio immediately escorted everyone out of the garden. Eventually, everyone went into their rooms. Norio opened his room and saw the interior. It was the same as his own room from the outside world. His room only had a desk with stacks of paper on it, a wooden chair, and his bed.

He sat on his bed looking around the room. "It is just like the way I left it."

* * *

Hours passed by and it was already night. While the rest are in their rooms peacefully sleeping, one of them is in the hallway. Norio is standing in front of Nao's room thinking of how to initiate the talk. He knew it will be difficult to catch his attention. However, he was willing to do anything to get through Nao.

_Nao, please respond. _Hesitantly, Norio knocked on Nao's door. The loud thuds echoed through the hallway. "Nao, we need to talk." Norio said after knocking.

A few seconds passed and Nao has still yet to respond. At first, Norio thought Nao must be asleep. However, as he looked at the bottom of the door, he could see light seeping through the space between the door and the floor. _I guess I will have to do this._

Norio knocks again. This time he shouted, "Nao, I need to talk to you. You need help. You and I both know what you are doing is wrong. Come out. Umeko will not like to see what you are doing. Think of what Umeko will say. Do you think she will be okay with this? Umeko-"

As he was talking, he was cut off by the loud swoosh of the door. After for so long, Nao finally opened his door. Norio was greeted by the miserable, angry Nao. Annoyance was painted on Nao's face. Clenching his fist, he stared at Norio as if he was ready to punch him. _Sorry Nao. I knew Umeko will be the only thing to get you out of there. _

Immediately, Nao shouted, "Umeko is not here! I don't care about what she thinks! She is not here anymore… She is not… Get away from me…" From anger, Nao shifted to sadness. It was evident in his eyes how much he is drowning in sadness. His hands were shaking. His voice was quaking. It felt like Nao was about to explode in tears.

Norio quickly asked, "Is that really how you want to remember Umeko? You want to remember her as the dead girl? The girl who is not anymore here?"

"Of course not! Of course… She… She means too much to me to be just that…" Nao answered. Everyone was painful to hear. Nao sounded like he was forcing himself just to be able to speak. He is starting to break.

"Umeko was a great person. She was the kindest and most caring of the group. Everyone could feel her absence in the room. No one is anymore asking how everyone is. No one is checking if everything is alright. It is not just you who is mourning. Everyone is." Norio said.

Nao could not say anything. Norio's words were too much. It was too honest. Tears in his eyes were forming. Norio saw this and continued, "You can be sad about Umeko's death. You can mourn and grieve all you want but you can do it with us. Everyone is mourning just like you. Let us be there for you. Pushing us away will not help you. Trust us to be the friends you need right now."

All of sudden, Nao burst into tears. Norio was surprised by this. He just stood there looking at Nao ready to help him in whatever he needed. Suddenly, Nao hugged Norio. He cried on his shoulders. Even though Norio is uncomfortable with physical contact, he stood still to help his friend cry his sadness away.

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**What do you guys think of the new floor? What is your opinion on Norio's POV? We will have a POV shift every update until the murder happens.**

**If you guys want to talk about this story and other fun stuff, you can join the discord server for this. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	39. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 3

**Hi guys! Here is part 3! For this, we will have Nao's POV again!**

* * *

It was the middle of the night. The whole building was silent. Everything was still. In a hallway on the fourth floor, Nao was crying on Norio's shoulder. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. His voice was quaking. There were times he was choking in tears. He wanted to pull back. He wanted to let go of Norio but he couldn't. All he could do was rely on Norio to stay still.

After a few minutes, Nao was finally able to pull himself away from Norio. He wiped his tears with his hands. From all of the crying, Nao's eyes were irritated and turned red. He took deep breaths to calm himself down. All he could do was look at Nao. He wanted to say a lot of things. He wanted to thank him for giving him a shoulder to cry on. He wanted to thank him for taking the time to talk to him and checked on him. He wanted to thank him for reminding him he has friends. However, all of those words only stayed in his mind. The only thing he could say was, "I'm sorry for crying on you…"

It was apparent in Norio's expression it was not what he expected Nao to say. He must have thought of another response. However, he did not say anything more. All he did was simply put his hand on Nao's shoulder and said, "It's alright." He pulled back his hand and put it back in his pocket.

Even though it was only two words, it was enough for Nao to calm down. He did not think it would be the words he needed to hear but he was thankful for Norio saying it to him. He looked around and noticed the empty hallway. The silence became apparent to him when the two of them only looked at each other anticipating the other person's next action.

With Nao's hoarse voice, he said, "I am going back in my room."

Norio understood what he meant. He simply nodded and said, "I hope I will see you tomorrow join us for breakfast. Everyone would love to see you again." After that, he walked away from Nao. Nao watched Norio slowly walk to his room. Once he reached his room, Norio opened his door. Before he entered, he looked at Nao and said, "Good night." After that, Nao was alone in the middle of the hallway.

Nao looked back at his door and thinking of the silence he will have to bear again all by himself. He slowly walked back to his room. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and opened it. He took a step inside and the loneliness seeped back in him. The view of his untidy room reminded him of what he was grieving about. His room is identical to his room back home.

With heavy steps, he walked to his bed. Then, he sat on the floor beside the bed. Immediately, he curled up because of the memories coming back to him. It was not just Umeko's death that was bothering him. There was also the trauma of seeing his mom hang herself. Both women were important to him. However, he lost both of them as well. The two women he loved were willing to die. His mom killed herself while Umeko was willing to be executed.

Nao could only see it as unfair. _Why do I have to keep losing all of the women in my life? What did I do to deserve this? Why couldn't I be happy? Why couldn't I have them still breathing beside me? They were too precious to deserve this fate. I wish I was able to say something to make them change their mind. I wish I could have told Umeko it was wrong to throw her life like that._

Instantly, tears were flowing again. Nao is breaking down again. This was a cycle he has been doing for the past two days. There were moments he would forget the sadness and feel numb. But after those moments, loneliness and self-pity creeps back in and stabs him in the heart. He was an emotional trainwreck. He could not stop. He wanted to stop but he could not.

As he was crying, he looked at the door. He tried to think of what Norio told him to make him stop. It was the only thing he could think of. He knew abandonment was his issue. To fight it back, he tried to tell himself he was not alone. _I have friends. I am not alone. They will be there by my side no matter what. _

All of a sudden, he remembered everything he did to Eri. Immediately, he started questioning his friendship, the only thing he is holding onto right now. Fear starts to envelop him. It was the fear of being isolated. He knew that he pushed them away. It was not just Eri whom he literally pushed away. It was also everyone else whom he constantly ignored while he was having an internal struggle. A phrase kept ringing in his head which intensified his fear.

He kept hearing Asuka repeatedly saying, "You did not have to be a douche, douchebag!" He felt shrinking as the words grew louder in his head. It was the truth in her words that is haunting him. It was blunt just like what is expected from Asuka. _She is right. I was a douche. I should not have pushed Eri. All she was trying to do was help me. I need help but all I am doing right now is swatting them away. _

Thinking of Eri brought him back to when he kicked her to the floor. He remembered the look on Eri. Even though he had kicked her, all he saw was worry for him on her face. She only wanted was to help him and Nao knew that. The innocence and kindness in her face made him regret everything he did to Eri. _I was her friend. All she was doing was being a friend to me. Even though I pushed her away, she still kept on worrying about me. I don't deserve a friend like her. I need to repay her for that. I need to apologize to her. _

Ending up with this conclusion, his tears finally stopped. For the first time since seeing Umeko's execution, he felt like he was sure of what he was about to do next. He stood up and went on his bed. He lied down and was determined to make everything right. _Tomorrow, I will set things right. I know I am not yet done healing but I think I will make it through as long as I have people like them around me._

Eventually, he fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

The morning came. It was forty minutes before Monokuma's morning announcement. Even though Monokuma's annoying voice has not been aired yet through the sound system. Some people were already awake. It was either due to a goal or a problem.

Nao was in his bed staring at his ceiling thinking of the day ahead of him. He could not move due to excitement and nervousness. He wanted to resolve his issues with everyone but is afraid of being rejected from having another chance to redeem himself. Thinking about it made him lie in his bed thinking of all of the possibilities everything going wrong. All he could do was hope for the best.

He got up and went through his daily routine. For the first time since the last trial, Nao took a shower and cleaned himself. Soaking water, Nao felt relaxed. The tension that he built up inside vanished as he took a bath. He took his time dressing himself up. Once he was ready to go outside, he grabbed his tablet and went to his door.

Once he reached his door, he stopped. Anxiety was holding him back. Fear of not being forgiven only made it worse. He slowly grabbed the doorknob. Then, he looked at the door. _This is scarier than I thought it would be. I can't hide forever. I will eventually need to get out of here. _He slowly turned the doorknob and opened it. Once it was open, he looked at the hallway and a smile formed on his face. _All I have to do now is step outside. _

Slowly, he stepped outside of his room. As he stepped out, he saw Eri standing in front of a door. He immediately wanted to approach her. His mind felt like it will explode from everything he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her he is sorry that he has been such a jerk. He wanted to thank her for being a patient friend. He wanted to offer her his help in anything she will do. He wanted to tell so much but he was not able to. Suddenly, the door Eri was standing in front opened. She immediately went inside and left Nao alone in the hallway.

When he was left alone, he felt like he was drained of energy. All of his excitement vanished. _I was ready but I guess I will just have to find another time to tell her everything. I need to be patient just like her. _As he was about to go downstairs, a question formed in his mind. _Whose room did Eri go in? _He took a closer look at the door. Immediately, he knew whose room it was because of the pixelated icon. _It is Norio's. What is she doing with Norio? Maybe I will have to ask her that as well._

After that, he tried to be not bothered by what he saw first thing in the morning. He continued to walk and passed by some of the rooms. He saw Reyes', Manon's, Eri's, and eventually Rei's. He looked at Rei's room and remembered their last private conversation. _It has been long since I thought of Rei's secret. She said someone also knows everything she is hiding. I wonder who that person is. Are they still alive? I hope they are. I hope they help us get out of here._

Realizing he was standing for too long in front of Rei's room, he decided to get a move on. As he was walking, Monokuma's announcement was finally blasted through the audio system. "Wake up! Time to commit a murder! Hahahahaha!" Monokuma's voice was unbearable. All he could think of was the hatred he has for Monokuma. _If it was not for you, Umeko would have still been alive. _Before he exploded in anger, he decided to continue walking.

Eventually, he made it in front of the kitchen. Once he was there, he stopped. He froze. All he could think of was the times he and Umeko spent inside the kitchen. All of those beautiful memories are flooding his mind. It was too much for him to handle. It was overwhelming. He was having trouble breathing. He leaned to the wall and tried to catch his breath. _Nao, you can do this. It is just a kitchen. Cook like you would normally do. _

Once he was calmed down, he slowly pushed the door and went in. The kitchen was empty and silent. Nao looked at the room as the silence slowly picks at him. The silence reminded him of the absence of Umeko. He remembered her laughter filling up the room. He can imagine Umeko already almost finished with everyone's breakfast. It was as if he could see her alive in the room. The sight of the kitchen is making it hard for him to swallow the fact that Umeko is gone. He took a deep breath and said, "This is the reality. I need to accept it."

Slowly, he went to the pantry and looked at the ingredients available. He immediately thought of Umeko being able to decide quickly what she wants to cook. "If she was here, we would have start cooking by now." He continued to stare hoping something comes into his mind. However, all he could think of was Umeko. "If Umeko was here, at least one of the meals are vegan." He continued to look and all he could remember are the recipes Umeko taught him. Even in his decisions, he could not shake the idea of Umeko. Eventually, he decided to cook everything vegan. _This will have to do._

He started grabbing the ingredients and prepping. He decided to make vegan chicken and waffles, granola bowls, and orange juice. Inside, he laughing at himself. It was silly for him to do this. It was unreasonable but he could not help himself. It was the answer he wanted. _I am such a fool. People might hate me for cooking them tofu as chicken. I can't stop now. I am already almost finished prepping. I hope everyone will eat this._

As he was slicing tofu, he heard the door open. Once he heard it, he thought to himself that he will smile to that person. He will greet them with happiness. He wanted to act as if nothing happened. But, that wasn't what he did. He turned to the door and saw Asuka enter. As soon as they locked eyes, all he could do was awkwardly stare at her. Eventually, he broke the stare and went back to cooking.

Asuka was surprised to see him inside the kitchen. She was prepared to do the cooking all by herself. She did not think she would see him arrive in the kitchen earlier than her. As soon as Nao broke their stares, she ran to him and hugged him. "Nao, you're back! Yeah!"

Nao was surprised by this. He was expecting her to completely ignore him. He even thought Asuka would question him being in the kitchen. However, she did not. She completely went to him and hugged him. It was a nice surprise. He tapped on Asuka's arms around his neck. Immediately, Asuka let him go. Nao looked at Asuka who smiling from ear to ear. _I guess she really is happy seeing me again. _

He looked at her and said, "You are not mad of me?"

Asuka suddenly flicked him on the forehead. "I was mad at you for being a douche yesterday but I knew you were going through some shit and you would eventually come back to your senses. And, you did fucking come back! Everyone will be fucking happy to see you!"

Hearing this made Nao smile. Suddenly, his eyes were tearing up. "You really think so?"

Asuka saw his eyes and said, "There is no need to fucking cry about it. Of course, everyone will be happy to see you like this. I swear they will be pumped up!" To hear that everyone wanted to see him okay made him filled with happiness. He truly thought he has pushed them away but they were willing to wait for him to be okay. That thought was enough for him to smile at Asuka. Asuka smiled seeing Nao smile again.

Asuka looked at the food Nao was preparing and asked, "What are you trying to make?"

Nao answered, "Vegan chicken and waffles, granola bowls, and orange juice."

Asuka giggled and commented, "Sounds like a meal Umeko would love to eat." Nao did not say anything and just smiled at her. She was right and he could not deny it. Maybe he came up with the menu because would love it. No matter what the reason was, it did not matter. As long as everyone was fine eating it, it will be okay. That was how Nao thought of it.

Nao told Asuka how to help him. Eventually, the two working in unison helping each other in everything. Between the two, Asuka was the one asking Nao what to do. Nao happily answered every time. It was at that point when Nao realized the kitchen does not feel as lonely as he entered it earlier. It was filled with laughter and people walking around. It was as if Umeko was still there. However, this time, Nao is not as sad as earlier.

It did not take long for the two to finish the meal. The two brought out the food to the cafeteria. As soon as the people saw the food coming out, everyone was excited to eat. Nao stayed behind and was contemplating on how to show himself to the group. He was nervous thinking he might get a tirade from Hana. After a few seconds, he stopped fidgeting with his hands and stepped outside. Silently, he stood there with everyone looking at him.

Nao wanted to say something even just a quick hello but he was afraid. The silence was taking forever to be broken so Asuka finally shattered it by saying, "He cooked our breakfast." Everyone was surprised to hear this. Hana immediately asked, "You did?" Nao simply nodded to answer. All of a sudden, everyone except Norio shouted with happiness. Hana tells him to sit beside him. Nao immediately did so.

Takashiro quickly asked him, "Are you back for good?"

Nao answered, "I am still trying to move forward but I think I will be okay for now."

Takashiro clapped his hands and said, "Nao is back! Yeah!"

Nao was happy to hear this. After that, he looked at Eri who was silently smiling at him. Once she saw Nao look at her, she tried to avert her gaze from him. Nao expected this. After everything he did to her, he knew she might be uncomfortable seeing her again. Before eating, he knew he had to address it. He called Eri's attention and said, "Eri, I am sorry for everything. I really am."

Eri simply replied with, "I-I-It's alright." Nao was happy to hear this.

Everyone continued eating. Finally, they were all complete. Everyone was laughing and having great conversations with each other. It felt like everything was right. Nao could not believe this was happening to him after everything he did to them. _I hope this does not stop. I hope we will stay like this forever. No! I know we will stay like this forever. I will make sure of that. _

Eventually, everyone was done eating. Samuru was the first to leave as usual. The remaining six continued talking to each other to pass time. Hana suddenly put the spotlight on Nao. She quickly turned to him and asked, "What made you come out of your room?" Everyone looked at Nao and was interested to hear his answer. He did not know what to say. He looked at Norio. _What should I say? I am not sure if Norio would be comfortable if I tell them the truth._

Nao could not say anything and just looked at Norio. Eventually, Hana said, "You keep on looking at Norio. Did he do something?" At first, it was just a harmless tease. However, with how Nao's face suddenly went blank, Hana decided to keep teasing. "Oh my gosh! He did something! Norio talked to you, didn't he? Come on! Tell us what he told you that changed your mind! Come on! Come on! Come on! Spill it!"

Suddenly, Takashiro and Asuka joined in. The three were loud. It was starting to confuse Nao. The pressure was rising. He did not know what to do or say so he accidentally blurted out, "I cried on his shoulders!" It suddenly became quiet and everyone turned to Norio for an explanation. Nao looked at Norio and mouthed the words, "I am sorry…"

Hana slowly said, "So… You let Nao cry on you… Is that true?"

Norio answered, "I talked to him and said he should let us help him move on we are willing to help him. All of a sudden, he cried on my shoulder. That is pretty much what happened. Move on!" Everything was stunned to hear this. It was shocking to hear Norio consoled Nao. It was something everyone did not think Norio would do.

Hana suddenly said, "Is Norio having some sort of character development? From a cold-hearted logical robot, he is now becoming an empathic human."

"Again, I am not a robot!" Norio said.

Everyone laughed except for Nao and Norio. Nao was confused. He turned to Asuka and asked, "What is going on?"

Asuka answered, "Hana has been teasing Norio he is becoming human since he is starting to show some emotions by laughing."

"He laughed?" Nao asked.

"Yup! You should not have fucking missed it. It was a rare thing to see." Asuka answered. Hearing this, Nao realized even though he isolated himself for two days, he has already missed out on a lot of things. Immediately, he regretted not being able to be there to hear Norio's laugh. He wished he did not waste his time sulking. Realizing this, he thought he must have missed on a lot of other things. Because of this, he wanted to know what else happened.

"What other things happened when I was locked up?" Nao asked.

Hana answered, "Samuru has been isolating himself as well. Asuka is more responsible now. And, Eri and Norio are friends. Isn't that right, Eri?" _Eri and Norio are friends? _It suddenly reminded him of what he saw earlier. _I guess they are now close enough to have the other person in their room. Good for Norio!_

Eri answered, "Uhmmm… I guess so…"

Takashiro suddenly added, "But I am still her best friend!"

"No, you are not! Eri said she thinks of you as her older brother." Hana added.

Takashiro said, "Oh, right! I am her brother!"

After a few minutes, everyone decided it was time to do other things they were supposed to do. Asuka and Hana went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Norio sat a separate table and took a nap. This left Nao to be alone with Eri and Takashiro. Nao was enjoying Eri and Takashiro talking to each other. He admired the innocence the two have. It was their smiles that remind him that even if they are locked up, they can still find ways to be happy. He suddenly thought he must have been like that if Umeko is still here. He could imagine them talking about nature and what their lives are. Thinking of the tragedy that happened to him, he wished it will not happen to them.

After a few minutes, Eri went to the comfort room. This left Nao with Takashiro. Takashiro immediately turned to Nao and said, "Now that we are alone, I have been wanting to tell you this." Nao was surprised by this. Takashiro was still smiling and cheerful but he had an aura of maturity that he had never seen from him.

Nao asked, "What is it?"

"Next time you hurt Eri again, I will make sure you get a taste of your own medicine." Takashiro claimed. He did not expect to hear a threat from Takashiro. It was weird to see someone as sweet as Takashiro threaten him.

He immediately said, "So, this is the real you? You have finally shown me who you really are."

Takashiro answered, "I don't get what you mean. I have been showing the real me. This is just another part of the real me, someone who cannot stand his friends being hurt."

Nao understood what he meant. _Childish most of the time but can also be serious and mature… I guess that is the difference between him and Eri. Eri is innocently childish while Takashiro has the duality of childishness and maturity. _Seeing this, Nao was fascinated by Takashiro. He quickly said, "I am guessing Eri knows you like this as well."

Takashiro answered, "I think so."

Nao then replied with, "If Eri trusts you even seeing this side of you, then I know you must be a trustworthy person."

Takashiro simply smiled and answered, "I promise I will never break your trust!"

After that, Nao looked around the room and saw Norio sleeping. The sight of him immediately reminded him of what he saw earlier. He wanted to know the reason for Eri to enter his room. _What happened? Norio is not the type of person who would just let somebody in his room. They said he and Eri are friends but what would be the reason for them to meet in his room? _As he was deep in his thoughts, he turned to Takashiro. _Does he know about this?_

Nao looked at Takashiro. It was obvious he had a problem. Takashiro saw this and asked, "Is there something troubling you?"

Nao was surprised Takashiro asked him. He was hesitant to ask him specifically about what he saw so he decided to ask him in a general way. "Uhmmm… How close are Norio and Eri? Are they like best friends?"

Takashiro chuckled and simply answered, "Eri is as close to Norio as everyone else. Hana had been just teasing them because, for the past few days, they would come here for breakfast together. You know she loves to tease everyone with everything she can. Why? Is there a problem with those two?"

Nao lied and said, "I was just curious since Hana teased those two earlier. Now I understand why she said those things." _It looks Takashiro does not know anything about it. I don't want to ask anymore because something might happen to their friendship. _After that, he quietly waited for Eri to come back. Once Eri came back, he could not help himself but look at Eri with curiosity. _It looks like our little Eri has a secret she is sharing with Norio. _

As soon as Eri came back, Takashiro talked with her as if nothing happened. Nao watched in amazement as the two talked about random topics. _Eri is really important to Takashiro._

* * *

It was three in the afternoon and Nao was dying of boredom in the cafeteria. No one was really interested in talking to him. Norio was silently in the corner. To Nao, it seemed like Norio was observing everyone and was deep in thoughts. It was clear he did not want to be disturbed. Eri and Takashiro had their world and he could not keep up with it. He looked at Asuka and Hana who were giggling. He knew they would let him join their conversation but he is too afraid of Hana's teases.

All he could think of is what would he be like if Umeko was still around. _If Umeko was here, I would not be bored. She can bring up any topic and I would gladly talk about it with her. I guess I was too close to her that I was not able to make deeper connections with everyone else. This is what I get for being reclusive for the past few years. _Nao sighed as he drowned himself in thoughts of what he would be doing right now if Umeko was here.

After a few more minutes, he could not take it anymore. It was too silent for him when there were people around him to talk to. He stood up from his seat, turned to Eri and Takashiro, and said, "I am going to walk around." The two simply waved their goodbyes before Nao left them. He walked out of the cafeteria and asked himself where to go.

He looked to his right and saw the entrance to Monokumaland. Seeing it reminded him of the death of Mako, the murder committed by Umeko. The anger and pain brought by the memories quickly eliminated it as an option. _I will never set foot in that amusement park again. That place ruined everything great I had here._

After that, he turned to his left and saw the entrance to the gymnasium. He quickly dismissed it as an option seeing there is nothing he could do in there. Because he could not think of where to go as of the moment, he decided to walk around the hallways of the building. He thought that he might stumble in an interesting place.

As he was walking on the stairs to the fourth floor, he met with Samuru who was going down. Nao greeted him with a hi. Samuru replied with, "Hello!" Before Samuru could walk past him, he asked, "Why are you isolating yourself from everyone?"

Samuru took a long time to answer. Nao looked at him as he waited for an answer. As he was looking at him, he noticed Samuru's poor condition. The man had eyebags. He was paler than he usually is. His hair is a bit of a mess. Some of his clothes are not well placed. It looked like they were just thrown on without care. His movement is lethargic as well. He did not have his usual strong presence. _What is happening to him? _

"Are you taking care of yourself?" Nao asked.

Samuru answered, "I am sorry. I am having a hard time processing your question." This response confirmed to Nao that Samuru was in a bad shape. _He looks like he needs some sleep. _

Nao asked, "Are you punishing yourself for Mako and Umeko's deaths?"

Samuru just looked at him lifelessly. His face was blank. _Is that what is keeping him up awake at night? _Nao told him, "You do not need to beat yourself for deaths. Monokuma is the one responsible for everything. I am sure Monokuma just used some special trick to make that photo. I hope it is not real. I choose to believe it is not real. I trust you Samuru. Now, take care of yourself."

Samuru simply nodded.

Nao continued to ask, "Where are you going?"

"The kitchen. I need something to drink." Samuru simply answered.

After that, Nao let him make his way to the kitchen. Nao continued to go to the fourth floor. Once he was there, he first went to the statues. He stared at his statue. He noticed that the statue was wearing a gold wristband that said "7". After noticing this, he looked at the other statues and saw similar wristbands with different numbers. Everyone had a number from one to sixteen. Reyes' was "14" just like the number assigned to Reyes' photo. _These numbers might mean something but I am not sure what it is for. I should just keep this in mind in case it becomes useful. _

Other than remarking the statues as tacky, Nao wandered around the fourth floor. He stumbled upon the two locked doors. He stood there trying to figure out what could be behind it. To him, the first locked door was bigger than the other. The other door was similar to the door of everyone else's room on the floor. _This could be a bedroom but whose bedroom is it? _

Seeing that there really is not much he could do other than speculate, he moved on to the other rooms. He noticed that the arrangement of the rooms is similar to their former quarters. _I don't get why Monokuma made us transfer here. My room was the exact replica of my room back at home. I don't see how anyone would kill after seeing their rooms. It might make people long for their homes but I don't think it is enough to push us to edge. None of us who are still alive is that shallow._ No matter how much he tried, he could not wrap his head around their new motive.

After that, he continued to tour the floor and saw a door with flowers painted on it. It had a sign that said "Welcome! We are open!" It was his first time seeing the door. _This must be where the others went after I locked myself in my room. _He took his time and opened the door to find a beautiful garden. It was something he had never seen quite like anything before. _It is breath-taking._

Nao stepped on the cobblestone path and wandered around. He saw plants he had never seen before. Some ponds reflected the beautiful blue sky. Several fountains were scattered around. Each fountain had a unique design. Not one looked the same. To him, it was as if he was outside the building. After taking in the scenery, he found a clear meadow and sat down. He looked up and saw the sky through the glass. _The glass must be shatter-proof. If it isn't, everyone would have broken it yesterday._

After that, he sat in silence while a cool breeze gently grazes his skin. It looked around and felt like he was truly outside. _Even the breeze is realistic. Monokuma must have spent fortunes making this place. _After a few seconds, he lied down and looked at the sky. _It is a beautiful place. If Umeko was still here, she would love this place. She would have definitely loved the ponds. _

He could not help but think of Umeko again. All he could think of what they could have done in the garden together. He imagined both of them having a romantic picnic right where he was lying down. Both of them would visit the place every day. He could even see Umeko watering the plants. To him, it felt like the place was made for her. It was the perfect place for Umeko.

"Umeko, you have missed out on the most beautiful garden. I wish you are with me right now. I could hear your excitement seeing the flowers and the ponds. From this moment, whenever I see a beautiful sunset, a pristine lake, or any breath-taking scenery, I will remember you. It will always remind me of you, your kindness, and your beauty."

Nao stayed in the garden lying down doing nothing. Eventually, the sky was turning dark. "I guess night is coming." As the night turned dark, the garden came to life. Nao sat up straight and observed as the garden turned more beautiful. The cobblestone path lit up. Some of the flowers glowed in different colors. In a matter of seconds, the area had animatronics of fireflies swarm the whole place. It was magical. He looked up at the sky and it was filled with stars. Nao cannot believe what he was seeing. _I never imagined this could become more beautiful._

As he was taking in the view, he heard two women entered the garden.

"See! It is beautiful, right?" Asuka shouted.

Hana replied, "This is amazing! Everyone should see this!"

The two women wandered the garden and eventually found Nao. "Nao! This is beautiful, isn't it?" Asuka asked.

"It is! And, I was lucky enough to see it transform into this." Nao answered.

"I am so fucking jealous of you! It must have been magical." Asuka said.

Nao points at the sky and said, "Look up."

The two girls looked up and saw the beautiful starry sky. It was clear. There were no clouds. Everyone can see the constellations clearly. The moon was full. It was a sight to see. Suddenly, Hana had an idea. "We should have a picnic tomorrow night here! It would be so cute!"

Nao and Asuka agreed.

"Just think of the fun we can have! You and I can play some of our songs! Let's play games! This is the best place to talk our hearts out! Let's have an open forum as well! I am so excited!" Hana added. Hearing this, Nao's excitement was building up. It sounded like a great plan. He could see everyone having fun and laughing loudly. It was something he really wishes to happen. _It will be a great way to take my mind off of Umeko._

After that, Nao stood up and said, "I think we should tell this to everyone over dinner."

* * *

The dinner was already over. Everyone was still at the table talking to each other. Eventually, Hana brought up the topic of the picnic. "Guys! Asuka, Nao, and I have a proposal." Everyone was all ears to this. After a few seconds, she said, "Let's have a picnic in the garden tomorrow night! It is a beautiful place for a picnic at night! Trust us. There are fireflies, glowing floors, and lit up paths. The starry sky was beautiful as well."

Everyone immediately agreed to this plan. Nao was extremely to hear this. To see that everyone wanted to do it really made him more excited for it tomorrow. He turned to Hana who was explaining what they will be doing tomorrow. "Tomorrow, you will be seeing us perform some of our songs. We will be having games as well. Let's also have an open forum. Afterward, we will eat!" Everyone was all in for the plan as well.

"Asuka and Nao will be in charge of the food. So, what do you guys want them to cook?" Hana asked.

Samuru immediately answered, "Can we get something sweet, maybe doughnuts? Also, can you make coffee?"

"Sure, that will be easy!" Nao answered.

All of a sudden, Hana said, "No coffee!"

Everyone was surprised. Nao, who loves coffee, asked why. "Why not?"

Samuru added, "I really want coffee!"

Hana immediately responded saying, "I hate it! It is too bitter! Blehhh! Can't you think of something sweeter?"

Nao expected this as her answer. He had observed Hana has a liking for sweets. Anything bitter is probably by her. However, even though Samuru had not suggested coffee, he would have suggested it. Knowing Hana's preference, he said, "Don't worry! I will make a drink coffee-flavored that is not too bitter. Trust me, I already know what to do!"

Hana took her time to think about it. Eventually, she agreed to it. "Fine! I have faith in you so you better not let me down." Nao was ecstatic to hear this. He really wanted to make a drink using coffee.

After that, people have listed several suggestions. The group wanted macaroons, tarts, chips, and sandwiches as well. They also talked about what the others were going to do. Eri and Takashiro volunteered to help in setting up the place. The other two boys were not yet sure what they can do to help. However, the group did not pressure them to help and just let them be.

After that, everyone went on their separate ways. Most of them have left to go to bed already. One of them was Nao. Nao was in front of his room looking at the door. He reminisced about the sadness he was feeling earlier. However, it was completely overshadowed by his excitement for tomorrow. He entered his room, took a quick bath, and changed into his pajamas. He lied down his bed and after a few seconds, he was finally happily sleeping.

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**What do you guys think of what is happening so far? Are you guys excited for how things will go down? Who do you think will be the next victim? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile!**

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**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	40. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 4

It was only hours before the picnic. The excitement for the activity was palpable throughout the whole building. It was clear that everyone was looking forward to it. People are doing their own preparations for the event. Some were doing their tasks while the others were happily helping in small ways they can.

Inside the kitchen were Asuka, Hana, Nao, Eri, and Takashiro. Out of the five, only Asuka and Nao were supposed to be inside the kitchen working on the food for the picnic. However, the two did not mind the company of the others. As the two were cooking, Hana would talk and make the people in the room laugh. Even though it was distracting, they did not mind it. They were just genuinely looking forward to the activity in the evening.

From time to time, Takashiro would something to their conversation that would make Hana more pumped up for the party. He would tell the group what might happen. He even described a scenario wherein they might hear Norio laugh again. That is how good they think the event will be.

While the four were busy talking to each other, Eri could not help herself but stare at them with awe. It was amazing for her to see her friends smile like there is no tomorrow. It was the happiest she has ever seen everyone for a long time. She looked at Nao and could not believe he was the same person who locked himself in his room. _I must do my part to make this party amazing! I cannot let them down! _Seeing their smiles energized her to do the best.

As the conversation continued, Hana saw Eri was brimming with excitement. She quickly teased her saying, "It looks like Eri is the most excited out of all of us! What are you expecting to happen? You have been so silent over there. Tell us!" Eri was surprised that she was now in the hot seat. It was clear she became flustered as she panicked to say something. She kept stuttering.

"Uhmmm… Uhmmm… I-I-I…" Eri could not say a single word.

Hana quickly took it back and said, "You are so adorable when you are flustered! That makes teasing you more fun!" Eri did not care if she was being teased by Hana. She was just happy to feel like she belonged to their group. It was like she finally found the group of friends she can trust and depend on.

The group continued talking. They moved on from teasing Eri and went back to talking about what they were hoping to see. The group was really loud as they laughed their hearts out. Eri loved the joy she was seeing and accidentally said, "I am happy to see you guys happy…" Thinking she was not heard, she continued fidgeting with her bear. However, she noticed that the group went silent. She looked at them who was looking at her. Slowly she asked, "I-I-Is there a p-p-problem?"

Hana quickly went to her and hugged her. Eri was surprised about it but she did not complain about it. It felt nice to be hugged by her friend. Hana let go of her and said, "You are such a cutie pie! The world needs more people like you! Don't ever change, okay? People like you must be protected." Eri blushed hearing all of those words. She meekly smiled at her while everyone looked at her with a smile.

After a few minutes, Asuka and Nao refocused themselves. They shifted their focus in preparing the food. Nao was in charge of the coffee drinks, the macaroons, and the tarts while Asuka was tasked to make the doughnuts and the sandwiches. Nao was finished making the macaroons and the tarts. All he had to do were the coffee drinks. On the other hand, Asuka was finished with the sandwiches and was just starting with the doughnuts.

Nao quickly told the group he will go to the pantry to find coffee powder. Asuka quickly told him to find yeast. It did not take him long to come back empty-handed. Nao said, "I could not find coffee or yeast." Hearing this puzzled Asuka. She told him, "Are you sure it is not there? I am pretty sure we have a lot of those two."

Asuka then went to the pantry and came back empty-handed as well. She could not believe both were missing. "I know we have yeast and coffee. I just checked the pantry last night after washing the dishes with Hana." She turned to Hana and said, "Didn't we found jars filled with both of it?" Hana confirmed it.

Nao quickly looked around the kitchen thinking it must have been misplaced. He looked around and was lucky enough to find both jars in the fridge. He took it out and let out a sigh of relief. "Thankfully, it was just here! It must have been placed here by Monokuma." Nao said. He gave the yeast to Asuka while he took the coffee to his station.

Hana sarcastically said, "Good thing you found it! I really wanted to drink coffee for tonight!"

"You really hate coffee." Nao said.

Hana simply nodded and said, "What is wrong with hating coffee? It is just not my thing. I like it sweet like ice cream and strawberries! Coffee is just bitter." The continued to have a back and forth on coffee. Nao was eager to convince Hana coffee is not just about bitterness. However, it was clear Hana will not listen to Nao until she tastes his drink.

As the two had a back and forth, Eri looked at the drinks he was preparing. It was appetizing and the aroma was splendid. Hearing all of Nao's claims about his drink, she craved for it. However, she knew she can't drink even a sip of it because she was allergic to it. She can't drink it because she might die from drinking it. _I want to tell them I can't drink it but Nao might scrap the whole thing if he finds out about it. Seeing people excited about it, I can't bring myself to say anything. I will just bring a bottle of water for myself later._

Everyone continued happily talking. Eventually, the group was finished cooking. Asuka and Nao set the food aside until it was time to bring it. Hana said goodbye as well to prepare for the flow of the events. Seeing that the event is only an hour away, Eri and Takashiro decided to get on with their task as well.

* * *

Inside the garden were Eri and Takashiro preparing the place for their evening picnic. Eri was laying down the pink gingham fabric where they will be sitting. After doing so, Eri went over to Takshiro to help in fixing the platform where Asuka and Hana will perform on. He was fixing the speakers just like how Hana told him to do so. It was laborious but both of them did not mind. All they could think of is that their efforts are worth the fun they will have later.

After a few minutes, the two were done fixing everything. Quickly, they sat down on the fabric to take a quick rest. Eri had with her two bottles of water. She gave one to Takashiro who was more exhausted than her. Takashiro gladly took it and drank.

At first, it was quiet. Eri wanted to ask Takashiro about something but she could see that Takashiro was too tired to even talk. Because of this, she just waited until Takashiro looked comfortable enough to talk to her. As she waited, she looked at the place where they were staying and was amazed by the beauty of the garden. Even though it was her third time in the garden, it was the first time she really took the time to take it all in and appreciate it.

_It is beautiful but I am more excited to see how it will look like later tonight. Hana said it was beautiful. I want to see it. If it is this beautiful during the daytime, then it must be more beautiful at night._

After a few more minutes, Takashiro was finally rested enough. He put the empty bottle beside him. He turned to Eri and said, "Is there something bothering you? You kept looking at me earlier as if you wanted to tell me something." Eri was not surprised that Takashiro saw through her. _We have been together all the time. He must be used by my mannerisms by now. _

Eri turned to him and said, "I-I-I was wondering about what you th-th-think of this…" Eri pulled out from her bear several red sticks. Takashiro looked at it and was clueless as to what he was looking at. He was not sure what to say and just looked at Eri with confusion. Eri immediately saw this and explained to him what it was supposed to be.

"I-I-I made sparklers l-l-last night. I-I-I thought it would b-b-be cute if we had s-s-some…" Eri said. Takashiro quickly smiled when he heard what it was. Seeing Takashiro's face, she knew he liked it. It made her happy to see someone like her idea. She gave a stick to Takashiro which Takashiro gladly took.

Eri said, "A-A-All you have to do is r-r-rip off the b-b-black end and it will i-i-instantly lit up." After that, Eri showed him how to do it. She ripped off the black end and the stick instantly lit up. Its sparks where pink. The two were mesmerized by the color. It was soothing to look at and it felt cool. It did not emit any prickly heat.

Seeing the beautiful sparks, Takashiro lit his stick. His stick was producing light violet sparks. It was as beautiful to look at as Eri's sparkler. Takashiro said, "This is amazing Eri! I am sure everyone will love this. This is a great addition to the activities later." Eri smiled as Takashiro continued to shower her with compliments.

After a few minutes, Eri blew both of the sparklers to put it out. She took what was left of the sparklers to dispose of it later. After that, the two just stayed there sitting waiting for time to pass by. It was silent but it was the kind of silence Eri wanted. It was not uncomfortable. It was the silence where she can just lie down and relax.

As she was lying down, Takashiro asked her, "Why did you not tell the group you were allergic to coffee?" Eri continued to look at the orange sky and simply answered, "All of th-th-them were excited to t-t-try Nao's drink. I-I-I couldn't bring m-m-myself to stop them."

Takashiro then said, "You should have said something. You should be able to enjoy all of the food as well. It is not fair to you." Eri understood Takashiro's concern. She knew she should have said something but it was more important for her to see everyone happy and enjoying. To her, her happiness is seeing her friends smile.

She sat up straight and turned to Takashiro. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said, "Everyone's smiles are enough to put a smile on my face." Takashiro was surprised to hear Eri speak smiling without stuttering. He pinched her cheeks and said, "You are too sweet for this world!"

As they were talking to each other, the garden started to transform. They stopped what they were doing watched as the garden transform beautifully. They felt like they were in a fairy tale. It was as if the garden came to life. The fireflies filled the place with their captivating lights. It was as if glitters were floating around.

One of the fireflies landed on Eri's bear. She looked at it and was interested in its design. _This firefly looks like a toy I have made before. _She grabbed one of the fireflies and examined its design. She recognized some of its parts like the head and the wings. _This looks similar to a bigger firefly toy I have made before. _

After a few minutes, Eri let go of the firefly. However, her attention was still hooked onto the fireflies. Moments passed when Takashiro stood up and said, "I think we should go back to our rooms and prepare." Takashiro held out his hand and helped Eri stand up. After that, the two went out of the garden and went to their rooms.

* * *

It was only minutes before the fun activity started. Eri was still in her room trying to fix herself. She was combing her hair. There were times she was trying to fix the wrinkles in her dress. She just wanted to look perfect for the night. She looked at her door and was excited to get out and have fun. Brimming with excitement, she opened the door.

As soon as she got out, she saw Norio going out of his room. She quickly ran to him to greet him. "Hello! A-A-Are you excited?" Eri gave him her biggest smile. She wanted to make him feel the excitement she was feeling. To her, it felt like she could jump around without a care in the world. However, she looked at Norio who was not obviously feeling the same thing.

Norio had a problem and it was visible in his expression. Something in his mind was bothering him and Eri wanted to do something about it. She wanted Norio to have fun because that is what they are supposed to do right now. They should be having fun free of worries and full of happiness. She asked Norio, "What's th-th-the problem?"

He was silent. The two stood in the middle of the hallway. Eri was waiting for him to answer. No matter how long Eri waited, it seemed that Norio did not care to say anything. He was only looking at the floor mentally absent. The sight of this was troubling. Eri grabbed Norio's sleeve and shook his arm. "A-A-Are you okay?"

Suddenly, Norio shouted, "Not now, Eri! Not now!" Eri was surprised by his lashing out. She took a step back looking at Norio. She could not say a thing. All she could do was stay and wait for Norio to cool down. This response alarmed her. _Something must have happened. I need to help him. _Eri did not back down. She fixed her posture and said, "Norio, I-I-I can help."

Norio looked at her. Then, he took deep breaths and said, "I am sorry. I should not have shouted at you."

"I-I-It's alright. What is the p-p-problem?" Eri asked.

Hesitantly, Norio answered, "I just… I just saw something…"

Eri was surprised by this. She was intrigued by what Norio could have possibly seen. She continued and asked, "What d-d-did you see?" Norio took a long time to say anything. Eri just stared at him waiting for him to say something. However, it was clear Norio was unsure of it as well. _It must be something unexpected. Norio could not even form a word. _Norio was about to answer when, suddenly, a door opened.

Takashiro came out of his room. He went to the two and said, "Hi! Are you guys ready? This is going to be so much fun!" After that, he dragged Eri with him. Norio simply followed. Eri looked back at Norio with curiosity. _I guess I will just ask him after the party. _The three went to the garden together. In no time, they finally joined the group.

Everyone was already there. Samuru was talking to Nao while Asuka was helping Hana with the program. Immediately, Takashiro went to Nao and brought Eri with him. The two sat down beside Nao. Takashiro was the first to speak, "Hi! I am so excited!"

Samuru added, "Me too! I think this is the first time we will have a real party." Hearing that, Eri remembered their first party which was when Ayumu died. This brought back the sadness that she felt when she saw Ayumu hanging from the ceiling. _This party will be different. This time everyone will truly have fun. No one will be afraid of what will come next. It will be just us having fun!_

Eri then joined the conversation and said, "I-I-I am excited! Uhmmm… I made something f-f-for the party." She put out the sparklers and gave everyone two sticks. She explained how it works. Hana was happy to see this and said, "We should use this when we're performing later." Eri could imagine the place lit up by her sparklers while everyone listens to Hana and Asuka.

Hana stood up and said, "I think we should start!" Hana went to the platform and said, "Good evening everyone! Are you excited about tonight?" Everyone cheered with excitement. Everyone shouted with joy as they started their picnic. Eri was happy to see everyone so lively. It was almost perfect when she saw Norio silently looking at Hana. _He is not having as much fun as everyone else._

Eri wanted to go to him and ask him what she can do to help him with his problem. However, she knew she couldn't especially where everyone can see and hear them. All she could do is hope for the picnic to lighten up Norio's mood. She shifted her focus to Hana who was going to start their fun picnic.

"Okay, the first thing we will do is play some games! I know it has been so stressful that we have forgotten to loosen up so let's play!" Everyone cheered. Asuka put out a pack of cookies and gave it to Hana. Everyone was curious about it. _What are the cookies for?_

"For our first game, we will be using these cookies. Everyone will be joining." Hana said. Hana told everyone to sit in a straight line. Everyone followed accordingly. Eri was in the middle of Nao and Takashiro. She was excited to know what the game was. When they were all lined up, Hana continued explaining.

"I will give each of you one cookie. You guys have to place it onto your forehead. To win, you have to be the first to move your cookie from your forehead into your mouth. The only thing you can use to move it is your face. Got it?" Everyone understood it. Some people were proclaiming their victory.

"I will definitely win this game!" Asuka shouted.

Takashiro chuckled and said, "I doubt it."

Asuka heard this and said, "You think you are going to win?"

Takashiro answered with confidence, "Yes!"

Asuka then said, "Bring it on!"

Hana then said, "Okay, put the cookie on your forehead. On your mark, get set, go!" After that everyone desperately tried to move the cookie except for Norio. Norio was just looking at the sky with a cookie on his forehead. Hana approached him and said, "You are not going to try?"

Norio answered, "I'd rather see their struggles than win."

Hana sighed and said, "I thought I would finally see you make weird faces but I guess not." Norio took the cookie from his forehead and ate it. After that, he turned to everyone else who was desperately trying to win.

Out of everyone, Asuka was trying the most. She was making the funniest face as she made the weirdest noises. "Ugh! Move! Cookie, just fucking move!" Asuka screamed. Samuru was moving his face minimally. He was trying but it was clear he will never be able to move it. It was pure mayhem. Hana was laughing herself to tears as she watched everyone move their faces. At one point, Hana shouted, "Roxanne looks like a chimpanzee!"

Eventually, someone won the game. Eri stood up with the cookie in her mouth. Then, Hana grabbed her hand, raised it and said, "We have a winner!" Eri could not believe she won the game. She took the cookie and ate it. Everyone clapped for her.

Takashiro said, "Good job, Eri!"

Asuka said, "I was so close! Eri had an advantage because she had a small face. I demand a rematch."

Hana went to Asuka and said, "Let it go! It is just the first game."

Asuka pouted and said, "Fine!"

After that, the fun continued. They played several games until everyone was exhausted. Everyone, except for Norio, tried their hardest to win a game. Out of everyone, it was only Asuka who did not win any game. She was upset by this. "I did not win any game! How? Even Norio won a game! I guess I have the worst luck today."

Nao said, "Cheer up Roxanne! Losing is not that big of a deal. It is just a game."

Asuka smiled and said, "I know! I just wanted to win. Whatever! When we have another party like this, I will definitely every game." After that, Hana called Asuka to the platform. It was time for them to perform their songs. Everyone was excited to hear their songs since every time they have teamed up, the songs they create are amazing.

Hana is sitting behind a keyboard and her synthesizer while Asuka had her guitar behind the microphone. _It looks like Asuka will be singing! I can't wait to hear their music. _Asuka was the first to say something. "Hello, guys! So far, are you having fun?" Everyone cheered.

"That's good to hear! Now, let's keep that energy going with this first song." Asuka started playing her guitar. Then, Hana followed with her keyboard and synthesizer. It was lively and energetic. It was good music to jump around. However, Eri felt like she has heard of the song before. All of a sudden, she remembered who she heard it from first. _That is one of Umeko's songs. It was her group who originally sang it._

The duo continued playing their hearts out. Everyone who knew the song sang along. Surprisingly, Takashiro knew all of the words. Even though he was out of tune, he kept singing. Hearing him sing made Eri laugh. _Takashiro does not care. _Eri continued listening and watching. Before she knew it, it was over.

Asuka said, "That song was 'Jump!' by Pink Punk." Everyone went silent. It was clear everyone knew it was Umeko's song. Eri looked at Nao. She saw Nao smiling as he held in his hand Umeko's necklace. She was relieved to see his smile. It ensured her that Nao was in a better place compared to the last few days.

Asuka continued, "We just wanted to sing a song in memory of her. She was a great friend and person to perform with. Now, enough with that. Let's continue having fun!" Asuka played a ridiculously complicated riff. Everyone was surprised. Suddenly, strong beats appeared. It was electrifying. Eri could not do anything but listen at awe. It was not her type of music but she cannot deny the beauty of it and the captivating performance of the two.

The two continued to play numerous songs. All of them were songs they never had heard of. They were for sure music the two written just for the party. Eri was amazed by the talent of the two women. _They are having the time of their lives. I am so happy to see them smile like that. _

Eventually, the two were about to perform their last song. Before performing it, Asuka said, "This last song we need you to put out your sparkler and wave it in the air. Come on! Do it!" Everyone put out their sparkler and lit it up. Then, Asuka played a slow melody. It was something unexpected of her to sing something like that.

It was soothing to hear. Her voice was unexpectedly calm. It was full of emotions. Eri listened carefully to the lyrics and was amazed by it. It was about them and their friendship with each other. She loved the message and she is not the only one. Everyone looked at each other and gave their biggest smile.

Eri looked at Norio who was looking at Asuka and Hana. Suddenly, Norio turned to her. Eri simply smiled. Unexpectedly, Norio smiled back at her. It made her even happier. It was the right song for what they were going through right now. As the song ended, everyone cheered for Asuka and Hana.

After the performance, Asuka and Hana got off the platform and joined the group. Hana said, "I think it is time to talk about how we are feeling right now." Hana told the group it was time for the open forum. She instructed the group to create a circle. She and Asuka inserted themselves between Eri and Nao.

Eri was looking forward to this. She wanted to know everyone's true feelings. She believes that it will help her be a better friend to them. It will tell her what she should do for them. She wanted to know if she is needed as a support system, a listener, a shoulder to cry on, or anything she can help as.

"Everyone is open to talking about anything they want. This is the time to tell everyone how they truly feel. I think I am going first." Hana said. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"Uhmmm… Even though it has happened a long time already, I am still hung up with Ayumu's death. I really loved hanging out with him. I know some of you probably think I am in love with him but I know I am not. He was only this special friend who made me feel like I can do anything I want. I still miss him up to this day."

Asuka hugged her after that. Hana turned to her said, "Thanks! Didn't expect you to hug me but thanks!"

Hana turned to Nao and said, "I can understand how you feel. If you need someone to talk to about Umeko, I am here for you."

Nao smiled and said, "Thank you!"

Then, Hana turned to Asuka. "That is pretty everything I have to say. Roxanne, it is your turn!"

Asuka was surprised. "Me? Why can't it be Eri?" Hana just looked at her. In the end, Asuka gave in.

Asuka started, "I don't really know what to share. I got nothing to hide. I am an open book. I don't even have a fucking filter." After that, Asuka thought about it. Eventually, all she said was, "All I could think of is say thanks for being understanding of me. I know I can be too much and I am not the easiest person to deal with. So, thank you for staying with me despite my fucking flaws."

After that, it was Nao's turn. It took a while for Nao to speak. "I am sorry for being a douche in the past few days. I really am. And, thank you for giving me another chance to prove myself. It has been rough since I lost Umeko. I felt so alone. I have been always with her that, now she is gone, I am lost. I don't know where to go or who to talk to."

Asuka quickly interrupted and said, "You still have us! You can talk to us about anything you want!"

Nao smiled and said, "I know. Norio reminded me of that." He turned to Norio and said, "Thanks for telling me what I needed to hear."

Norio simply nodded. Nao then turned to Samuru who was beside him. Samuru understood it was his turn. He took a deep breath and started, "I feel like I am responsible for Mako and Umeko's deaths. It was me who was in the picture killing Umeko's mom but I don't remember doing it at all. But still, I can't help but feel guilty. I know some of you still have reservations about me and I can't blame you. It was clear in the picture and my reputation for being a crazy executioner does not help clear my name. I hope you guys can see that I am trustworthy and I would never do that."

Nao put his hand on Samuru's shoulder and said, "We trust you, Samuru. No one here is blaming you for their deaths." Samuru smiled because of the comforting words of Nao.

After that, everyone turned to Norio. It was his turn. It was clear that everyone is interested in what Norio will share. Eri is curious what side Norio she will see tonight. She knew Norio has secrets and she was wondering what secret will he share. She even thought he might bring up what he was bothered about before coming to the picnic.

Everyone silent as they waited for Norio to speak. Norio kept them waiting for a few more seconds before speaking. "I am human. I have feelings but I am not good at showing them. Because of that, Hana loves to make fun of me for that." Hana chuckled after hearing that.

Norio continued, "I just want to say that I think of everyone here as…" Norio could not continue. He was blushing. He could not look at anyone. All he could do was look away and say softly, "my friends…"

Everyone cannot believe what they heard. Almost all of them have their jaws on the floor. Hana was smirking looking like she was ready to tease him again. She quickly said, "What did you say? I did not hear you."

Norio quickly said, "No!"

Asuka said, "He said we are his friends."

The two ladies burst into laughter. Takashiro put his arm around Norio and said, "That was great to hear, friend!" This just made the two girls laugh harder. Eri looked at everyone and was amazed by the variety of reactions Norio was receiving. She turned to Norio who was silent and could not look at anyone in the eye.

Norio then said, "W-W-Why are you l-l-laughing?"

Takashiro replied with, "Why did you turn into Eri?"

Norio said, "For the first time, I was honest about how I feel and this is what I get."

Asuka and Hana slowly stopped themselves from laughing. Hana then said, "Sorry for laughing at you. I just did not expect that. Now that you have acknowledged us as your friends, turn to us for help. Don't carry all of your burdens by yourself, okay?"

Norio simply nodded. Eri knew that was a lie. To her, Norio is the type of friend who will never bother to ask for help because they don't want to give other people their burden. Eri looked at Norio and wished that he would do it. _I hope he asks for help when he needs it._

After that, it was Takashiro's turn. It did not take a while for Takashiro to start. Everyone surprised since they thought he would have a hard time opening up. "I know I get on some people's nerves. Some of you think I am too childish for my age. I just want to say I am sorry. I can be mature when I want to. It is just hard for me to show that I am mature because, for so many years, I have been painted as a weirdo for being a mature guy doing puppets. I have built this wall of me being a kid at heart so that I will not be as disrespected as I was before. I just want to be respected for what I do. I have shown this side of me to some of you and I hope you give me a chance to show it to everyone."

Quickly, Takashiro said, "It's your turn, Eri!"

Eri was surprised by this. She was not yet ready. Her mind went blank. All she could do was look at everyone. She tried to remember what she wanted to say. However, the more she struggled to remember, the more she forgot her words. Instead of struggling to find the words, she looked at the ground and decided to say whatever comes to her mind.

"Y-Y-You guys are m-m-my first real friends. I-I-I was always alone and I-I-I hated it. I want t-t-to have friends b-b-but it was so hard f-f-for me to make one. P-P-People never bothered t-t-to listen to me because I stutter. Some did but only b-b-because of my wealthy family. I love making t-t-toys because I always thought i-i-it would be fun to have people p-p-play it with me. B-b-but, I never had anyone to p-p-play it with. Now that I-I-I have you guys, I want to continue m-m-making more toys so that I-I-I could play with you guys. I-I-I want to be a good friend t-t-to everyone and I will d-d-do whatever it t-t-takes to be that."

When she stopped, she could hear people sobbing. She looked at everyone and saw Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro teary-eyed. Suddenly, Asuka went to her and hugged her. Asuka hugged her tightly and said, "I want to play with you too! You are such a sweet friend. To those people who did not bother to listen to you, fuck them! You got us now!"

Eri was speechless when she heard this. She let go of her bear and hugged Asuka back. All of a sudden, tears went rushing down her cheeks. As she was hugging Asuka she said, "I love you guys!"

Asuka replied, "You are making me want to hug you more!"

Then, Hana added, "I want to hug you too!" Hana then joined Asuka in hugging Eri.

Takashiro tearily shouted, "Group hug!" One by one they joined hugging Eri. Eri was overwhelmed by the love she was receiving from her friends. She did not expect what she said would move them so much. Eri tried to see who was hugging her. Then, she could not find Norio. She looked for Norio and saw him sitting near her. She reached out her hand. Slowly, Norio grabbed it joined them.

Nao shouted, "After we get out of here, let's stay friends!"

After a few seconds, everyone let go of the hugging. Hana jokingly said, "All of that hugging made me hungry! Let's eat!" Asuka and Nao put out the basket of treats they prepared. Everyone grabbed one of each treat. Eri loved the doughnuts and the macaroons the most. Hana was munching mostly on the strawberry tarts. Nao, Norio, and Samuru were eating mostly sandwiches. Asuka and Takashiro ate only one of each.

After some time, Nao distributed his coffee drink to everyone. He gave Hana the first drink. "Drink it! I want to see your reaction!" Nao said as he handed her the coffee drink. Hana was hesitant at first. However, she eventually took a sip. It was obvious she was surprised by how it tasted. "It is not overly bitter. It is sweet as well."

Nao said, "I knew some of you don't like the bitter taste of coffee so I decided to balance it out with sweetness. I hope you guys will like it." Nao continued distributing it until Eri is the only one who has not been given yet. Nao handed her the drink but she declined it.

Nao asked, "Why? You hate coffee as well? Don't worry! It is not bitter."

Eri answered, "I-I-I'm sure it t-t-tastes great. I want t-t-to take a s-s-sip but I am allergic t-t-to coffee."

Nao said, "Why didn't you tell me? I could have made you another drink."

Eri replied, "It's alright! I-I-I have a b-b-bottle of water with me."

Then, Nao said, "I guess there is more for me!"

The group continued eating and talking to each other. Hana would make everyone crack up. Asuka is usually the main target of Hana's jokes. Takashiro bravely picked on Samuru. Seeing everyone happy really made it the perfect night for Eri. It was what she hoped for and more. She does not want anything to happen to this perfect night.

When Asuka was defending herself from Hana, Eri felt like her throat was itchy. At first, she thought something bit her. She scratched her neck and there were no bite marks. Instantly, she realized the itch was coming from inside her throat. A few more minutes, she started coughing. At first, her coughs sounded harmless and random. She would stop but then she would cough. Her coughs were getting worse and worse.

Takashiro took notice of this and asked, "Are you alright?"

Eri said, "Yeah! I-I-I just need to drink s-s-some water." She grabbed her bottle of water and saw it was empty.

Then, she stood up and said, "I-I-I'm going to get some water. D-D-Does anyone wants me to bring them one?" Asuka and Hana said they wanted one. Before she could take another step, she coughed again. _Why am I coughing?_

As she was walking, everything suddenly started spinning. She could not comprehend what was happening. It was too much for. All of a sudden, all she could see was darkness.

A few inches away from the group, Eri has collapsed on the floor.

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**No one is dead yet but Eri has fainted. In the next update, someone will be dead. Who do you think will bite the dust next? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile!**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile. **

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	41. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 5

**This is it! I hope you will enjoy this short chapter!**

* * *

The night was going great. Laughter filled up the place. People were engaged in conversations. Some were blissfully eating the snacks. It felt like everything was finally turning out fine. Nao was smiling as he looked at everyone. Happily, he was drinking his coffee and listening to everyone's conversation.

All of sudden, he heard a loud cough. He turned around to see it was Eri who was coughing. At first, he did not mind it so he kept listening to everyone else. However, when Eri kept coughing, something felt wrong. At that moment, he never took his focus on Eri.

As Eri stood up, he continued to watch her over. Suddenly, Eri fainted. Out of everyone, it was Nao who first saw this. He quickly stood up and shouted, "Eri!" Worried, he ran off to where she was lying. It surprised everyone and caught their attention. Their eyes followed Nao and saw Eri. Just like that, their fun night took a dark turn.

Everyone rushed to Eri's aid. All they could do was panic for her. Nao knelt beside her and put his hand on Eri's forehead. He turned to everyone and said, "I think she has a fever." Norio quickly told Samuru to carry Eri to one of the quarantine rooms on the second floor.

The group rushed to the nearest quarantine room. Once they got there, Samuru gently laid Eri down on a bed. Asuka and Hana left the group to take a first aid kit from the clinic. All of the men were left with Eri.

All of them were levelheaded except for Takashiro. Takashiro kept walking back and forth mumbling on how much he is worried. The other three could only watch Takashiro as he spiraled into panic. While Takashiro was fidgeting, Nao approached him. "Calm down, Takashiro. Breath!" No matter how many times Nao repeated himself, Takashiro would not listen.

The girls came back with the first aid kit. They took out a thermometer and gave it to Norio. Then, Norio put it in her armpit to check her temperature. After a few minutes, Norio took out the thermometer and saw it was 42˚C.

Everyone was taken aback with how high Eri's fever was. No one could believe it. Samuru commented, "No wonder she fainted. It was that high." Hana quickly put out a bottle of water and medicine for fever. She sat beside Eri and slowly woke her up.

"Eri, can you hear me?" Hana asked.

Eri simply nodded. Then, Hana said, "I am going to help you drink your medicine to make your fever go down."

Eri slowly sat up straight. She took the pill Hana gave her drank it down with water. After that, she lied down again. It was shocking how much she changed in a short span of time. Earlier, she was bubbly. But now, she was drained of energy.

The group stayed beside her as she rested peacefully. Norio then asked, "How did this happen?"

Takashiro answered, "She must have overworked herself. She said she made the sparklers last night. Eri, why did you have to overdo it?" After that, he knelt beside Eri's bed and held her hand. "Eri, get well, okay!"

After that, Norio turned to everyone and said, "Obviously, someone needs to stay with Eri to make sure she is alright. I can do it." Nao did not expect Norio to volunteer himself. He looked at everyone and saw the shock as well.

All of a sudden, people started voicing out that they want to help in watching Eri as well. Everyone wanted to do their part. However, Norio strongly disagreed with it. "I think it will be best if only one person stays with her. In that way, she will not be bothered by the number of people around her."

People quickly voiced out their opposition to this suggestion. Samuru said, "I don't think it is fair for that one person to do it all. If you want, we could do shifts just like before." Everyone agreed to this idea except for Norio.

"The changing of shifts might bother her. Just let me do it. Trust me, I won't do anything to her." Norio said.

All of a sudden, Takashiro, "No! If only one person will stay with her, it has to be me! I am her best friend and I will do anything for her! I will stay by her side. I will not fall asleep. I will be responsible, I promise! Let it be me!" Everyone looked at Takashiro with doubt in their eyes.

Norio still continued saying, "I will do it." Everyone continued fighting who should stay with her. Mostly, the fight was between Norio and Takashiro. It felt like the fight was never going to end until Eri coughed and took everyone's attention.

She looked at everyone and said, "I-I-I want N-N-Norio to stay…"

Takashiro turned to Eri and asked, "Why him?"

Eri simply, "G-G-Get some s-s-sleep T-T-Takashiro." Takashiro was not convinced. He insisted he will stay but Samuru picked him up. "No! No! No! Put me down! I need to stay here!" Takashiro shouted. After that, everyone went out of the clinic. Hana told Norio to wake them up if he ever needed help.

The five continued walking to their rooms. Samuru still had Takashiro over his shoulder. Even though they were already on the fourth floor, he kept pleading to stay with Eri. He was crying all over Samuru. It was true desperation.

Samuru put down Takashiro once they were in front of Takashiro's room. Once he let go of Takashiro, Takashiro tried to dash away to the clinic. Asuka put out her leg and made Takashiro trip over it. Takashiro stopped and said, "Why are you all doing this to me? I just want to stay with her!"

Nao went to him and helped him stand. Takashiro was about to run away again when he put his hand on Takashiro's shoulders and said, "We know you are worried about Eri but you are not calm enough to be helpful. Plus, Eri chose Norio to stay with her for whatever reason it is. We should respect that."

Takashiro stopped resisting and said, "I am so useless! Even Eri thinks that I won't be able to help her!" Takashiro started crying. Nao could not say a word and only gave him a hug. Hana went to him and said, "Eri must have her reasons for choosing Norio. Let's just trust her with her choice."

After a few minutes, Takashiro finally stopped crying. He was the first to enter his room. After that, everyone went into their own rooms and hoped for the best for Eri.

* * *

It was minutes before midnight and Nao was still awake. All he could do was stare at the ceiling of his room. His mind was too occupied and would not let him sleep. _How is Eri right now? I hope Norio is taking care of her. Maybe I should visit them. But, I might just disturb Eri. _He rolled around his bed a few times before finally deciding to sit up straight.

_How did this happen to her? She should be in her room right now peacefully sleeping after having fun at the picnic. But instead, she is sick in the quarantine room probably having a hard time sleeping. _

At this point, he got out of his bed and went to the door. He was going back and forth. He would reach out for the doorknob but would put his hand away from it. Going back and forth was starting to frustrate him. _Just grab the goddamn doorknob._

As he reached for the doorknob, someone knocked on his door. He quickly took a step back. _Who is visiting me this late at night? _Nao did not say anything and stood there in silence. Once more, a knock was heard again. This time, it was accompanied by an introduction. "Nao, are you awake? It's me, Takashiro. I just need someone to talk to right now."

Immediately, Nao opened the door before Takashiro went away. Takashiro turned back once he heard the door open. Nao asked, "What's the problem?"

Takashiro simply answered, "I can't sleep."

Nao smiled and said, "Same. Come in." Takashiro went inside and sat on Nao's bed.

Takashiro only stared Nao in silence. Nao waited for him to say anything but it was taking him too long. Because of this, Nao decided to start the conversation. "What is keeping you awake?"

Takashiro simply replied, "Eri…"

Nao sat beside him and said, "You are really worried about her."

Takashiro nodded.

"Don't worry about it! I am sure Norio is taking good care of her!" Nao said.

Takashiro quickly replied, "That is not what I am bothered by. I just cannot believe she chose Norio over me. What is her reason? Does she not trust me enough?"

Nao put his arm around Takashiro and said, "Do you remember what she last told you?"

Takashiro shook his head.

Nao said, "Get some sleep, Takashiro. That is what she said. I think she wanted you to take care of yourself first. You know Eri always put everyone else's needs first before hers. Plus, she trusts you. She trusts you the most. She would not have stayed with you all of the time if that is not the case."

Takashiro said, "I just wish I can do more to help her."

Nao said, "Well, you can stay with her tomorrow. She might let you stay by then."

Takashiro said, "You are right. I can help her tomorrow. Maybe I should do something special for her tomorrow."

Nao suggested, "Why don't you perform a puppet show for her tomorrow?"

Takashiro stood up and said, "I shall do that! I might lift her spirits! But, if I am going to perform for her, it should be special. It should be great enough to energize her. What should I do?" Nao only looked at him and let him do what he does best.

Then, Takashiro looked at his bag of puppets. Suddenly, he jumped and shouted, "I got it! I am going to make a new puppet! And its name is going to be Shizu-nyan!" Immediately, Takashiro opened his bag and poured out everything in it. He had glue, socks, buttons, yarns, scissors, and anything he needed to make a puppet.

Nao just sat there as Takashiro cut and pasted on the floor. He let Takashiro do his magic as he watched in awe with how much energy he was putting into making a new puppet. Takashiro was giddy and could not stop smiling.

Eventually, he was finished with the puppet. He put it on his hand and said in a childish voice, "Uhmmm… Hello… I-I-I am Shizu-nyan! Hope we c-c-can be friends!" Nao watched in wonder. _He came up with that character only minutes ago. Now, he already has performance ready. _After Takashiro performed, Nao clapped and said, "Eri will love that!"

"You think so?" Takashiro asked.

"I know so!" Nao answered.

After that, Takashiro cleaned up his stuff. He stood up and said, "Thanks for listening! It really helped me clear my mind."

Nao said, "You're welcome!" After that, Nao went with Takashiro to the door. He opened it. The two said good night to each other. Then, Nao closed the door and went to his bed. He took his tablet and opened it. "It is already 1:48 am. Wow! How time flies so fast!"

After that, Nao set his tablet aside and fell asleep.

* * *

It was already morning. It had been minutes since Monokuma rang his morning announcement. Nao had just woken up and was sitting on his bed. After that, he took a shower and got dressed. He took his tablet and was about to go out of his room when someone knocked on his door. He opened it and it was Takashiro.

"Good morning!" Nao greeted.

"Good morning too!" Takashiro replied.

Nao was waiting for Takashiro to say anything. Eventually, Takashiro started speaking. "Uhmmm… Nao, can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"Can you come with me to see Eri right now? I am really nervous to perform for her and it will be really helpful if you come with me." Takashiro asked.

Nao looked at Takashiro who was fidgeting with his hands. "Sure."

Takashiro jumped and shouted, "Yeah!" He grabbed Nao's arm and said, "Let's go!" As they passed the statue, Nao noticed one of the statues were broken. It was Norio's. Clumps of wax from the statue were on the floor around the statue. Nao pointed it out to Takashiro.

As soon as Takashiro saw the statue, the two quickly made their way to the quarantine room where Eri was staying at. Before going in, Nao told Takashiro to be as quiet as possible when they come in because Eri might still be asleep.

Nao slowly opened the door and went in. Immediately, he noticed something. Takashiro went in next. Then, Takashiro asked, "Where is Norio?"

Eri was half-awake when they entered the room. She quickly recognized the two and called out to them. "I-I-Is that you Nao and Takashiro?" The two quickly went to her side and asked, "Where did Norio go?"

Eri answered, "He l-l-left me last night when we heard f-f-footsteps in the hallway. I-I-I wanted to l-l-look for him but I-I-I'm too weak to s-s-stand up." Nao quickly told Takashiro to fetch the others. Takashiro quickly went out of the room and looked for the others. Nao stayed beside Eri while Eri holds onto her bear.

While they were waiting for the others, Eri said, "Nao, I-I-I am worried about Norio. I-I-I hope he is okay." _Me too. _Eri used all of her force to grab her bear and give it to Nao. "Nao, b-b-before Norio left, he t-t-told me you kn-kn-know something about Rei." Nao was surprised by this. _Why does he know about Rei? Do they know anything about Rei?_

Nao could not say a word. Eri continued, "He told me t-t-to give my bear to you if something ever happens t-t-to him."

Nao suddenly interrupted her and said, "Why are you saying stuff like that? Nothing happened to Norio, okay?"

Eri continued, "I-I-I have a b-b-bad feeling about this."

All of a sudden, everyone came in. Asuka shouted, "What did Takashiro mean when he said Norio left you?"

"What is happening here?" Hana asked.

Nao stood up and said, "Norio is missing. We need to look for him." Immediately, the group split up and looked for Norio. Everyone just went wherever they felt like. No one said where they were going or who they are going with.

Nao ended up looking for Norio with Takashiro. The two scoured the first floor. They went to their previous quarters and every room there was on that floor. The only place left to look for was the gymnasium and the storage room. The two were standing in front of the passage connecting the gymnasium and the main building. Nao opened it and saw the usual lockers that were at the side.

As they were walking towards the gymnasium, Nao noticed one locker was unusually slightly opened. While Takashiro was walking towards the gymnasium, Nao approached the locker. Once he was in front of it, he slowly opened it. Suddenly, something fell out of the locker creating a loud thud. Nao was speechless as he fell to the floor. Takashiro turned around and saw in front of Nao the corpse of Norio Kurosawa, the Ultimate Defense Attroney, bounded in rope.

* * *

**Sweet Life, Bitter Death (Daily Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 6**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist(DECEASED)**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician****(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer****(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist****(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact****(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard****(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist****(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist****(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney****(DECEASED)**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist****(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 10**

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**I want to thank NSPunny for sending Norio! I really loved writing him! I hope you enjoyed how I wrote him. He was one of my most favorite characters to write.**

**Was your guess correct? Who do you think killed Norio? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, that is it for now! **

**Good luck to all of us!**


	42. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 6

Nao and Takashiro were silent as they found Norio's corpse in front of them. Nao trembled to stand up while Takashiro could not move from where he stood. The sight of Norio's corpse sent chills down their spine. The two looked at each other loss for words. After a few minutes of silence, Nao took a deep breath and slowly crept to where Norio's corpse.

_How did this happen to you? You look like you've been dead for days. _He was tied up in a fetal position. Norio's flesh had turned grey. There was something white around his mouth and his eyes had turned white. Norio looked like he did not die peacefully.

Finally, Nao stood up and turned to the speechless Takashiro. He quickly told Takashiro to find the others. Immediately, Takashiro fled to find the others. Nao was left standing beside Norio. As much as possible, he tried to avoid looking at Norio. The sight of him in this state just brought tears to his eyes. _You did not deserve this. You have always been there to help us. Just when you finally acknowledged us as your friends, you were killed._

After a few more minutes, Takashiro arrived with everyone else. Everyone was speechless when they saw Norio's corpse. Once Hana saw the body, she vomited. Asuka went to her to help her relieve herself. It was not just because she wanted to help but also to avoid looking at it. Samuru's hands trembled in anger. An aura of great hatred emanated from him.

Suddenly, Monokuma rang the body discovery announcement. "Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our school trial!" Nao was disheartened to hear this. It was really Norio and he could not deny it after that confirmation.

The five them looked at each other waiting for someone to say something. Most of them were looking at Nao. He knew it was up to him to lead the investigation. Other than him, there was no one else alive that can do the job. He took a deep breath and went on as they would normally do. "Let's split up so we can cover more ground. Asuka and Samuru, you two will pair up while Hana, Takashiro, and I will investigate together."

And just like that, everyone started investigating.

Before Nao could examine the body, he received a new folder named "Case #5: Norio Kurosawa" He opened it and read the only file in the folder.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #6**

**The victim is Norio Kurosawa. The estimated time of his death was 12:48 am. The victim died from poisoning.**

* * *

_Poisoning? _Nao was taken aback by the cause of Norio's death. He was suddenly troubled by the thought of poison can do something like this. He turned to Takashiro who was reading the file as well. He turned to Nao and said, "We also have a poison that can do this?"

"Apparently so. We should check out the clinic later." Nao said. After that, Nao and Takashiro knelt beside Norio's body to conduct a thorough examination of Norio's corpse. They first checked his head. Immediately, Nao found strange crumbs of wax on his hair. He took a small piece out and played it in his hand.

He gave the pieces of wax to Takashiro and Hana. Takashiro took the wax and looked at Nao. He asked, "What are crumbs of wax doing on Norio's hair?" After that, Hana combed Norio's hair to find any other materials present. However, it was only wax that was present on his hair.

* * *

**Fact #2: Crumbs of Wax**

**There are crumbs of wax on the victim's hair.**

* * *

They continued to examine Norio's head. Immediately, they spotted a wound on his right temple. There were trails of blood dripping from it down to his face. The blood was already dry. The two took a closer look at the wound. The wound was not clean, and long. It looked like it burst open. The two saw the different layers under Norio's scalp.

"What could have made this wound?" Hana asked. Nao asked himself as well since the wound did not look like any ordinary wound. Because of the wound, Norio's head looked like a crushed grape.

* * *

**Fact #3: Norio's Wound**

**Norio has a wound on his right temple. It looks like it burst open. There are dry trails of blood from his wound dripping down to his face.**

* * *

The two continued and Nao took notice of his opened eyes. It was a haunting image that they will never forget. The pupils of his eyes have turned from its natural crimson red to a grayish-white. His eyes are also dilated. Norio looked like he was wearing contact lenses.

Nao tried to touch Norio's eyes to check if it was really his pupils. However, Takashiro took his hand to stop him. "Don't!" Takashiro exclaimed.

Nao turned to him and asked, "Why?"

Takashiro simply answered, "It is disgusting to touch other people's eyeballs. It makes me squeamish. It was as if I could feel someone touching my eyeballs."

Nao then replied, "I don't want to do this as well but I had to check. Why don't you turn around I will tell you to look when I am done.

He turned to Hana and asked, "Are you okay seeing me do this?"

Hana answered, "Yup! I have to see it for myself as well."

Takashiro quickly turned away. Then, Nao checked and it was really his eyes. After doing so, he closed Norio's eyes.

* * *

**Fact #4: Norio's Pupils**

**Norio's pupils are dilated and have turned to grayish-white.**

* * *

After that, Nao told Takashiro it was okay to look again. Takashiro smiled when he saw Norio's eyes were closed. The three continued to look at Norio. Nao saw the dry taces of drool around Norio's mouth. It was the white stuff they first saw earlier.

"Norio drooled a lot. Even his upper lip was covered in his drool." Nao pointed out. Hana touched it and was immediately grossed out.

"Why did I even touch it?" Hana asked.

Nao and Takashiro chuckled after hearing Hana's comment.

* * *

**Fact #5: Drool**

**Norio's mouth was covered in dry drool.**

* * *

Nao took a closed look at his mouth and opened it. Immediately, he noticed there was something violet stuck between his teeth. Hesitantly, Nao stuck his finger inside Norio's mouth to check what it was. Without warning, Hana and Takashiro watched Nao put his finger in Norio's mouth. Takashiro quickly turned away while Hana was left speechless as he did it.

Nao put out his finger and looked at violet stuff. It was some sort of powder. He put his finger in the air and showed it to the two. "Look! There is some sort of violet powder inside his mouth." Nao said.

Takashiro asked, "Do we have food that is a violet powder?"

Hana answered, "I don't think there is."

Nao confirmed this. He then said, "What is this then?"

* * *

** Fact #6: Violet Powder**

**Norio has violet powder inside his mouth.**

* * *

The three continued to examine Norio's corpse. The only thing worth noting was his grey skin tone. He looked like his life was sucked out of him. His blood vessels were visible because of his very pale skin tone.

"He looks like a ghost…" Hana commented.

Takashiro added, "He looks like he has been dead for a while even though he just died last night according to the autopsy."

* * *

**Fact #7: Grey Skin**

**Norio's skin has turned gray and his blood vessels are visible.**

* * *

After that, Hana took notice of the rope that tied up Norio. She quickly told the group. "Norio's hands and legs are tied up by two pieces of rope. And, those pieces of rope are tied to one piece of rope."

"Whoever did this made sure Norio cannot escape." Takashiro commented.

"It looks like the killer really wanted him dead. They even made sure he will not be able to swing his arms and legs freely." Nao added.

Nao observed the rope and said, "Isn't this the rope in the storage room?"

Takashiro said, "I think it is."

* * *

**Fact #8: Rope**

**Norio's arms and legs were tied up by a rope.**

* * *

After that, the group looked around the place if there was something they might have missed. As they were looking around, Takashiro shouted, "Guys, I found something!" The other two quickly went to Takashiro. Takashiro immediately point out traces of violet powder on the floor near the lockers.

"Isn't this the same powder we found inside Norio's mouth?" Takashiro said.

The two agreed to Takashiro. Nao knelt and took a bit of the powder in his hand. "Why is this powder here? I don't get it."

Then, Hana commented, "We should find out where this powder came from."

* * *

**Fact #6: Violet Powder(REVISED)**

**Norio has violet powder inside his mouth. The powder was also found on the floor near the lockers.**

* * *

After that, the group was not able to find anything worth taking note of. Then, the three decided to visit the storage room since that was where the rope came from. The three quickly searched for the rope and saw a bundle of rope lying on the floor.

Hana took it and looked at both tips of the rope. She noticed one of the ends looked like it was cut. She showed it to the others and said, "I think we found what rope the killer used."

* * *

**Fact #8: Rope(REVISED)**

**Norio's arms and legs were tied up by a rope from the storage room. The rope used was found lying on the floor of the storage room.**

* * *

After that, the group continued to look around the storage room. As they were searching the room, Nao was unsure of what he was looking for. It had been days since he last visited the room. They also stopped doing the inventory ever since Manon's execution. He was unsure of what to say what was moved or missing.

As Nao was looking through the shelves, a used roll of yellow tape caught his attention. It was attached to a device wherein the tape can be cut quickly. He grabbed it and rolled it out. The yellow tape had the words, "Do not cross the line! The room is out of order!"

He knew he had seen the tape before but could not remember where he saw it.

"Hana, Takashiro, I have something to show you!" Nao called the two. The two immediately went to him.

"What is it?" Hana asked.

"Have you seen this before?" Nao asked.

Takashiro quickly answered, "I saw that tape used to cover the doors of the chemical lab and the chemical storage room!"

"Oh, right! That must be the reason why it looks familiar." Hana commented.

* * *

**Fact #9: A Roll of Yellow Tape**

**A used roll of yellow tape was found in the storage room.**

* * *

After hearing that, he said, "I think we should check out those rooms as well."

The two were surprised by Nao's suggestion. Takashiro said, "Why? Those rooms are out of order. No one could have used it. How does it connect to Norio's murder?"

Hana agreed to Takashiro. Nao knew it was weird for him to suggest it but his gut was telling him to check out the room. Then he asked, "How did you guys find out the room was out of order?"

Takashiro answered, "Eri and I found the doors of those rooms covered in tape. Naturally, we told the group about it." _That is strange._

"So Monokuma did not tell you guys you cannot use it?" Nao asked.

"Nope!" Hana answered.

Hearing this, he became more interested to search the rooms. Nao asked, "No one asked Monokuma if the room is really out of order. Is that what I am hearing?" The two looked at each other and nodded back. After that, Nao asked another question. "How are we so sure the rooms are really out of order? Plus, if it was really out of order, why did Monokuma had to put up those tapes and not lock it instead?"

The two quickly realized Nao's point. Hana said, "I never thought about it that way. But now you said it like that, you are right. It is weird."

Takashiro added, "I guess we all just assumed it was out of order because of the tapes but we never really checked it."

"We need to check it out." Nao said.

After that, the group decided to go to those rooms. On their way, Nao stopped at the clinic. "Let's check out the clinic first. Norio died of poisoning. We might find something here." The two followed his lead. Immediately, they searched the shelves of poisons. As they were looking, Takashiro noticed something.

"Guys, look. There are four packs of every poison there is on this shelf except for one, Poison K." Takashiro grabbed one. He read the description of the poison to the group. He said, "Poison K is a highly poisonous substance. Once consumed, it can cause grey skin, white dilated eyes, excessive drooling, and slow and painful death." Takashiro opened the pack. Inside was a violet powder.

* * *

**Fact #10: Missing Poison K**

**A pack of poison K is missing. It is a violet powder that can cause grey skin, white dilated eyes, excessive drooling, and death.**

* * *

After that, Takashiro put back the pack of the Poison K. The group left the clinic and continued with their investigation. Once they were on the second floor, Takashiro saw the room where Eri was staying at. He turned to Nao and said, "I think we should tell Eri about Norio. We started investigating without anyone telling her about everything. She must be worried after hearing Monokuma's body discovery announcement."

Hana said, "We should visit her as well. She might have heard something last night."

Nao agreed with them. The three went to Eri's room. Once they were in front of the room, Nao noticed bloodstains on the floor in front of the door. He quickly pointed it out to the other two.

"That is a lot of blood." Hana answered.

* * *

**Fact #11: Blood Stains**

**The floor in front of the quarantine room where Eri is staying had blood stains on it. There was plenty of it.**

* * *

After that, the three went inside the room. They were surprised to see Asuka and Samuru in there as well. Samuru was standing beside Asuka who was kneeling on the floor holding Eri's hand. Asuka was crying so much.

"Eri! Wake up, Eri!" Asuka shouted.

The three quickly ran towards Eri's bed and saw Eri Shizuka, the Ultimate Toymaker, lifeless on her bed.

* * *

**Sweet Life, Bitter Death (Daily Life)**

**-(TRUE) END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 5**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist(DECEASED)**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician****(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer****(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist****(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact****(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard****(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist****(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker****(DECEASED)**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist****(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney****(DECEASED)**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist****(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 11**

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you enjoyed it!  
**

**Were you surprised by Eri's death? I hope you guys enjoyed her in this story. She is one of my favorite OCs ever.**

**Our sweet little Eri is dead. What do you think happened? Who do you think killer her and Norio? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile.**

**Expect the next update will be as short as this.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, that is for now!**

**Good luck to all of us and keep safe! **


	43. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 7

The room was silent as Monokuma rang another body discovery announcement. "Ding-dong-ding-dong! A body has been discovered. Following a brief period of time, we will commence our school trial!" It took a while before the reality of another one of them has kicked the bucket sunk in. To investigate Norio's death was already hard enough. Now, they have to investigate Eri's.

Not a single person in the room had dry eyes. Asuka was beside Eri holding her hand. Samuru was trying to choke back the tears as he consoled Asuka. Hana was leaning on Nao's shoulder crying. Nao's tears quietly flowed down his cheeks. And, Takashiro's knees weakened and felt to the floor. He wailed as if there was no tomorrow. Anger and sadness were audible from his cry.

Nao clenched his fist as he continued to stare at Eri. _She did not deserve this. She was the sweetest, the most innocent girl I have met. There was so much more she could have accomplished. But now, she will never be able to have that bright future because one person decided to kill her. _He took in deep breaths to soothe his anger. However, his anger will not go away.

Takashiro cried on the floor and screamed, "Eri! Eri! No! No! No! Why!" He fumbled on the floor as he stood up with his wobbly legs. Slowly, he walked towards his dead best friend. Asuka and Samuru backed away and gave him some space. He sat on her bed beside her and held her hand. Within milliseconds, he started sobbing again.

"Who did this to you? How could they do this? Eri! I can't survive in this hellhole without you!" He continued to cry. Everyone just stood there watching Takashiro mourn for his best friend. Nao could only imagine the anger and sadness he was experiencing. _This is the first time I have seen Takashiro so distraught. He has always been carefree. _

Nao turned to everyone else. He gently nudges Hana who was crying on him. Hana stopped leaning on him and wiped her tears. She looked at Nao and said, "Sorry for crying on your jacket." The voice of her sound reminded him of how precious Eri was to everyone. She was like the little sister everyone took care of.

Even though Nao only wanted to do right now was to sit and wallow in sadness, he knew they had to continue the investigation. He wiped his tears off and recomposed himself. He cleared his throat and slowly walked towards Takashiro. Once he was behind him, he put his hand on his shoulder and caressed it.

Nao turned to everyone and hesitantly said, "I know all of us want to stay here and cry for Eri but we have to continue with our investigation." All of them wiped their tears except for Takashiro. His cries grew softer as everyone waited for him to calm down.

Nao turned to Takashiro and asked, "Are you okay to help in the investigation?" Takashiro simply nodded. He took deep breaths. Then, he turned to everyone and said, "I will do whatever I can to solve Eri's murder. I will investigate for her sake."

Nao's lips curved into a smile. "Let's wait for Eri's autopsy. Once we receive the file, let's continue with the investigation." As soon as he ended, a new file was added to the case. Nao took out his tablet and saw the name of the folder was changed. It was changed to "Case #5: Eri Shizuka and Norio Kurosawa".

Everyone opened it and read the new file added.

* * *

**Fact #12: Autopsy Report #7**

**The second victim is Eri Shizuka. The estimated time of her death is 7:13 am. She died of suffocation.**

* * *

After reading, the group split into their original investigation groupings. Asuka and Samuru left the room while the other three stayed to search for more clues. When the two left, Hana commented, "Eri died while we were looking for Norio." Nao agreed to this. It was around that time when the group frantically searched for Norio.

The trio continued looking around. Nao went to the vacant bed in the room. He knelt and looked below the bed to find nothing. After that, he sat down and looked at the room. He searched for anything out of the ordinary. He turned to his left where a pillow was lying on the bed. It was out of position. Nao reached for it. Once he had it in his hand, he quickly let go of it. He threw it to the floor and rubbed his hand on the bed.

Takashiro saw this and asked, "What is up with the pillow?"

"It is wet and sticky. I am sure it is not water." Nao answered.

Hana took the pillow and was instantly grossed by the pillow. She commented, "The pillow is weirdly wet on one side and dry on the other. I thought you were bluffing at first. But once I touched the wet side, it was disgusting."

* * *

**Fact #13: Wet Pillow**

**The pillow on the vacant bed is wet on one side. It has a sticky consistency.**

* * *

After that, Nao stood up and went to Eri's corpse. Eri's eyes were closed while her mouth was open. Immediately, he noticed the drool around Eri's mouth. Nao touched it and it was still wet and sticky, unlike Norio's drool.

He turned to Takashiro and asked, "Does Eri drool when she falls asleep?"

Takashiro answered, "I don't think so. Why?"

Nao pointed out Eri's drool. The other two agreed it was weird. It was quite a lot as well.

* * *

**Fact #14: Eri's Drool**

**Eri's mouth was covered in drool.**

* * *

After that, they continued searching. As they were searching, Hana asked, "When are we going to move on to the next room?"

Nao took a long time to answer. He just said, "I am not sure. I feel like something is missing in this room. I just can't seem to remember what it is."

Takashiro suddenly answered, "Eri's bear is missing! Honey is not here!"

Nao went to Eri and confirmed it was her bear that was missing. Eri's bear was nowhere to be found. It supposed to be beside Eri but it has suddenly vanished. Hana quickly searched for the bear in the room but she found nothing.

Remembering what Eri told her earlier about the bear, he suddenly grew worrisome. _Eri's bear contains something important. I am not sure what it is but I bet it must be something helpful to our situation. Where could that bear be?_

* * *

**Fact #15: Honey Is Missing**

**Honey, Eri's teddy bear, is missing.**

* * *

Nao's worry was visible in his face. He was pacing back and forth as he thinks about the missing bear. Suddenly, he was stopped by Hana. She put her hand on Nao's shoulder and asked, "Is everything alright?"

Nao was brought back to reality. He turned to Hana and lied, "Yes! It is just weird for her teddy bear to go missing. It is just a toy. Why take it?" Hana nodded. It seemed that his lie was believable for Hana and Takashiro to let him be.

After that, Nao suggested, "I think we should check out the chemistry lab and the chemical storage room." The two agreed. Immediately, they left the room and went to the third floor. They first went to the chemistry lab.

The three stood in front of the laboratory's door covered in yellow tape. Nao looked at the other two before he ripped the yellow tapes off the door. Then, Nao approached the door. He took a deep breath and slowly attempted to open it.

Surprisingly, he was able to open the door.

Hana commented, "It's not locked?"

"It should be if the room is out of order, right?" Takashiro added.

Nao continued to open it. Eventually, they made it inside the lab and saw it was in perfect condition. Nothing seemed broken. The lights were working. The stations were still intact. "This does not look like a room out of order." Nao commented.

"We've been fooled by someone." Hana added.

"Let's continue with our search." Nao said.

The group immediately went to the station where pieces of equipment were set up. On the station were apparatuses and the guide on how to make several chemicals open. Nao grabbed the guide and read the page where it was open.

The page have two instructions on how to make two different chemicals. The instruction included:

* * *

Instruction on how to make Poison QZ

Chemicals needed:

20g of Chemical Q

20g of Chemical Z

10g of Chemical A

Tools needed:

Alcohol Burner

Steel Stand

Erlenmeyer Flask

Thermometer

Bowl

Funnel

Steps:

1\. Mix 20g of chemical Q and 20g of chemical Z in a bowl.

2\. Once mixed, transfer the mixture in an Erlenmeyer flask. Using the steel stand, put the flask over the alcohol burner. Put the thermometer inside the flask.

3\. Once it reaches 110˚C, remove the flask from the alcohol burner. Wait for it to cool down to a temperature of 36˚C. It will take 36 hours to cool down.

4\. Once it reaches 36˚C, pour in 10g of chemical A and swirl the mixture inside the flask.

5\. Put the flask on the steel stand above the alcohol burner and wait for it to turn into a beige powder.

Expected duration of process: 48 hours

Effects: coughs, fever, weak limbs, excessive drooling, and death after two days of consumption.

* * *

Instruction on how to make Antidote QZ(The antidote for Poison QZ)

Chemicals needed:

25g of Poison QZ

5g of Chemical J

Tools needed:

Alcohol Burner

Steel Stand

Erlenmeyer Flask

Bowl

Funnel

Steps:

1\. Mix 25g of poison QZ and 5g of chemical J in a bowl.

2\. Once mixed, transfer the mixture in an Erlenmeyer flask. Using the steel stand, put the flask over the alcohol burner. Put the thermometer inside the flask.

3\. Wait for it to turn into a dark brown powder.

Expected duration of process: 24 hours

* * *

**Fact #16: Instruction For Poison QZ And Antidote QZ**

**The guide was opened on the page that shows how to make Poison QZ and Antidote QZ.**

* * *

After reading, Nao shared this with Hana and Takashiro. Hana commented, "Looking at the tools on this station, I think it is safe to assume this is what the person made using these tools." Hana pointed out the tools on the station were the tools needed to make the poison and the antidote.

Then, Takashiro commented, "That is weird. Why make both the poison and the antidote for it?"

Nao nodded. _What would make the killer make an antidote for a poison they will use? _After that, Nao suggested that they move on to the next room. The three went to the chemical storage room next. Nao easily opened the room and saw it was in perfect shape.

The three quickly looked around and immediately noticed some chemicals were missing. Hana pointed out, "Chemicals A, J, Q, and Z have been used. There is not much left of those chemicals."

* * *

**Fact #17: Missing Chemicals**

**There are missing chemicals in the chemical storage room. These chemicals are chemicals A, J, Q, and Z.**

* * *

After that, the three went out of the room. They stood in the hallway thinking of where else they could go to look for clues. _These murders seem to be all over the place. It feels like there is something in every floor. The only floor we have not looked for is the fourth floor._ As he reminded himself of the fourth floor, he remembered the broken statue.

"I think we should check out the broken statue on the fourth floor." Nao suggested.

Takashiro added, "Oh right, we saw a statue crumbled or something like that. It might have something to do with the murders."

The three decided to go to the fourth floor next. Immediately, they were in front of the broken statue of Norio. The left arm of the statue was destroyed. It was not cleanly chopped off. Clumps of its wax were on the floor. Nao looked around and saw it was the only damaged statue.

"Norio's statue is the only one destroyed. That is weird." Nao commented.

* * *

**Fact #18: Norio's Statue**

**The left arm of Norio's statue was destroyed. Out of all of the statues, it is the only one damaged.**

* * *

Takashiro knelt and looked at the clumps of wax. Carefully, he tried to reconstruct the arm. It did not take him long to be almost finished. He looked around the floor to look for the last piece but could not find it.

Nao approached Takashiro and asked, "What are you looking for?"

Takashiro answered, "I am trying to reconstruct the arm but I am missing one piece, the thumb. It should be around here somewhere but it is gone."

Nao tried to help Takashiro but he could not find it as well. _That is weird. Where did that piece go?_

* * *

**Fact #19: Missing Thumb**

**The thumb of the left arm of Norio's statue is missing.**

* * *

After that, there was nothing important to take note of. Nao was about to suggest they move on to another place when he saw Hana walking back and forth. It was obvious she was thinking about something. Nao went to her and asked, "Is everything alright?"

Hana stopped and answered, "Of course! I am just trying to remember something. I feel like it has something to do with this statue." Hana continued thinking deeply. Suddenly, she stopped and looked at Nao as if an idea popped into her head.

"I got it! Last night, Roxanne and I saw someone destroy this statue!" Hana shouted.

Nao and Takashiro looked at each other. Takashiro asked, "Who was it?"

Hana quickly answered, "I don't know. We weren't able to see anything clearly. We just saw a shadowy figure destroy the statue with what I think is a huge mallet."

Nao quickly asked, "When did you see this and why were you with Roxanne?"

Hana answered, "Roxanne slept in my room because she could not sleep alone. Past midnight, we were both still up. We decided to get something to drink. When we went out of my room, we saw someone swing a mallet at the statue. Seeing that, we decided to just go back to my room."

Takashiro asked, "Why didn't you say anything last night?"

"Honestly, we weren't sure what we saw. At one point, we thought it was just Samuru going berserk again but it did not make sense since the person was using a mallet, not an ax. Plus, we did not really see the statue crumble. We just saw someone swing the mallet in the air. And, there was no one around. We did not think it would lead to this." Hana answered.

* * *

**Fact #20: Hana's Testimony**

**Hana saw someone past midnight swing a mallet at Norio's statue. Asuka slept in her room.**

* * *

Then, Takashiro said, "If you saw someone use a mallet, shouldn't we look for the hammer they used as well?"

Hana and Nao agreed. Nao suggested they check the arts room. "Aren't there mallets in the arts room? We should check that room out." The three went off to go to the arts room. As soon as they made it, they looked for the mallets.

Immediately, Hana found a mallet lying on the floor. She picked it up and showed it to the others. "Guys, look at this mallet. I found it on the floor. Shouldn't it be on the shelves or hung on the wall?"

Nao took the mallet and touched both ends. It had a weird waxy texture for a wooden mallet. "Touch this guys. It feels weird, doesn't it?" The two did so and quickly agreed with Nao.

* * *

**Fact #21: Wooden Mallet**

**A wooden mallet was left on the floor. Both faces of its head have a waxy texture.**

* * *

After that, Nao put it on a table. The three were about to discuss when Monokuma rang another announcement. "The investigation period is over. Report to the gymnasium, now!" As soon as they heard the announcement, the three went to the gymnasium. On their way, they passed the cafeteria. Nao stopped when they reached the cafeteria.

Hana looked at him and asked, "Is there something wrong with the cafeteria?"

"I feel like we should investigate the kitchen." Nao answered.

Without warning, Nao went inside and straight to the kitchen. Quickly, he looked around the kitchen leaving no cabinet unopened. Hana and Takashiro soon followed. Nao opened the trash can. He quickly smelled coffee and saw a culture of yeast on the sides of the can. _It looks disgusting._

* * *

**Fact #22: Trash Can**

**The trash can in the kitchen was infested by yeast and smelled like coffee.**

* * *

After seeing that, the group decided to go to the gymnasium. As they entered the gymnasium, they saw Asuka and Samuru in the middle. The two greeted them as soon as they walked in. Asuka ran to them and asked, "How did your investigation go?"

Hana was the one who answered for the group. She said, "I am not sure. It feels like we are still missing a lot of clues." Nao could not agree more. _Where is Eri's bear? Where is the piece of wax from Norio's statue? A lot of things are missing and are yet to be found._

Samuru talked to Takashiro and Hana for clues. Nao was left with Asuka. He opened his tablet and reread the clues they found. Once he was reading Hana's testimony, he turned to Asuka and asked, "Where were you last night when Norio died?"

Asuka answered, "I was sleeping in Hana's room. Oh, by the way, did Hana tell you about the person we saw last night. It was really weird." _I guess Hana was telling the truth about what they saw. _

* * *

**Fact #23: Asuka's Testimony**

**Asuka slept in Hana's room. She saw a man swing a mallet at Norio's statue.**

* * *

After that, Asuka joined the others. Nao was left alone looking at everyone else. _I guess it will only be up to me to lead this trial. I hope I will be able to handle it without Norio's help. _After that, he looked at the stage anticipating Monokuma's arrival. Nao was fidgeting with his hands. It was taking Monokuma too long to come.

While he was waiting, Asuka and Hana were beside him. The two were chatting away on random topics. Suddenly, Asuka started laughing at Hana. Hearing this, Nao listened carefully to their conversation.

"It was so funny when you fucking tripped on the stairs earlier. That shit was hilarious!" Asuka commented.

"Oh, come on! Give me a break! We were frantically looking for Norio. I was so scatterbrained that I forgot to take another step." Hana replied.

"Nope! I am not letting it go! You need to taste your own fucking medicine." Asuka said.

"Fine! Good thing you were the only one I was with when that-" Hana was cut off by Monokuma's arrival. Nao heard everything clearly. He took deep breaths and looked at Monokuma. Monokuma greeted like he would normally do. It was annoying. However, Nao did not mind it because something else was on his mind.

_Only one of us could have killed Eri and Norio and I already know who it is._

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Did you figure out already like Nao did? Who do you think is responsible for Eri and Norio's death? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	44. Sweet Life, Bitter Death 8

The five remaining students were inside the courtroom waiting for the trial to start. It was awfully silent as they were now outnumbered by the photos of their dead friends. Nao turned to his right where Umeko's photo stood. He looked around the room and saw Norio's photo at the left of Asuka and Eri's photo on the right side of Takashiro.

The silence was accompanied by the tension in the room. Takashiro was emitting anger and eagerness to solve Eri's murder. He was reading all of the clues he was able to gather. Hana stood in disbelief as she eyed at Eri and Norio's photos. Asuka and Samuru were both silent as they waited for Monokuma's arrival. On the other hand, Nao can't help but gaze at his prime suspect.

_Was it really you? I am convinced that you are the only answer left but it feels wrong. It does not make any sense. _Nao put out his tablet and looked at his clues. _I guess I will have to lead everyone in this trial to the right answer. I hope I will be able to convince everyone._

Out of nowhere, Hana called out to Nao. They were separated by Umeko and Jitsunori's photos. Nao turned to her and asked, "What is it?"

Hana asked, "Do you have any idea who did it?"

Nao simply nodded and added, "But… if I am right, a lot of things don't make sense."

After that, Hana left Nao in silence. A few seconds later, Monokuma finally arrived. He sat on his throne and stared down at the remaining five. He chuckled and said, "Honestly, I did not expect almost all of you to be the ones who will survive this long! I am pretty impressed."

Asuka quickly shouted, "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

Monokuma simply answered, "I just thought if we were ever going to have a fifth trial, it would not be most of you who are still in this room alive."

Then, Takashiro asked, "Who were you expecting to live this long?"

Monokuma shuffled on his throne mockingly pretending to think of an answer. After a few seconds, Monokuma responded with a chuckle and said, "Do you really have to know that? If I were you, I will concentrate on this trial because this one is going to be the most interesting trial we will have so far! Upupupu!" Then, Monokuma looked at Nao straight into his eyes. Nao was standing at his podium directly facing Monokuma.

_Even Monokuma is interested in this trial. Something nuts must have gone down in these murders. That is the only reason that could explain why he is so invested in this trial, isn't it? _Nao recomposed and readied himself to start the trial. Everyone else readied themselves for what Monokuma considered "the most interesting trial".

Out of nowhere, Monokuma cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention. His obnoxious attempt certainly gained death stares from everyone. Monokuma shouted, "Sheesh! Why are you all looking at me like I am a piece of meat? Anyway, before we start, I want to tell you that you only have one hour to solve this trial!"

Monokuma's announcement shook everyone to the core. It gained protests from Asuka, Samuru, and Takashiro. Asuka screamed, "What the fuck! How are we going to solve two murders in one hour?"

Samuru raised his battle-ax and claimed, "This is preposterous! The time constraint you have imposed on this trial is unreasonable! This is unfair to us!"

Monokuma quickly commented, "Life has never been fair! Stop complaining and start preparing!"

Takashiro mumbled, "I wish you fall from your throne and break yourself."

Monokuma heard this and shouted, "What did you say you little shit?"

Takashiro smiled at him and innocently said, "Nothing!"

_This trial is already complicated enough. We don't need this time constraint! Monokuma is really invested for some reason. He must be planning something. I want to know what it is but I have to solve this case first._

Monokuma put out his gavel and raised it. He pointed it at the students and shouted, "Let's start the trial!" Nao put out his tablet and reread all of the clues he had gathered.

* * *

**Fact #1: Autopsy Report #6**

**The victim is Norio Kurosawa. The estimated time of his death was 12:48 am. The victim died from poisoning.**

**Fact #2: Crumbs of Wax**

**There are crumbs of wax on the victim's hair.**

**Fact #3: Norio's Wound**

**Norio has a wound on his right temple. It looks like it burst open. There are dry trails of blood from his wound dripping down to his face.**

**Fact #4: Norio's Pupils**

**Norio's pupils are dilated and have turned to grayish-white.**

**Fact #5: Drool**

**Norio's mouth was covered in dry drool.**

**Fact #6: Violet Powder**

**Norio has violet powder inside his mouth. The powder was also found on the floor near the lockers.**

**Fact #7: Grey Skin**

**Norio's skin has turned gray and his blood vessels are visible.**

**Fact #8: Rope**

**Norio's arms and legs were tied up by a rope from the storage room. The rope used was found lying on the floor of the storage room.**

**Fact #9: A Roll of Yellow Tape**

**A used roll of yellow tape was found in the storage room.**

**Fact #10: Missing Poison K**

**A pack of poison K is missing. It is a violet powder that can cause grey skin, white dilated eyes, excessive drooling, and death.**

**Fact #11: Blood Stains**

**The floor in front of the quarantine room where Eri is staying had bloodstains on it. There was plenty of it.**

**Fact #12: Autopsy Report #7**

**The second victim is Eri Shizuka. The estimated time of her death is 7:13 am. She died of suffocation.**

**Fact #13: Wet Pillow**

**The pillow on the vacant bed is wet on one side. It has a sticky consistency.**

**Fact #14: Eri's Drool**

**Eri's mouth was covered in drool.**

**Fact #15: Honey Is Missing**

**Honey, Eri's teddy bear, is missing.**

**Fact #16: Instruction For Poison QZ And Antidote QZ**

**The guide was opened on the page that shows how to make Poison QZ and Antidote QZ. The instruction says:**

**Instruction on how to make Poison QZ**

**Chemicals needed:**

**20g of Chemical Q**

**20g of Chemical Z**

**10g of Chemical A**

**Tools needed:**

**Alcohol Burner**

**Steel Stand**

**Erlenmeyer Flask**

**Thermometer**

**Bowl**

**Funnel**

**Steps:**

**1\. Mix 20g of chemical Q and 20g of chemical Z in a bowl.**

**2\. Once mixed, transfer the mixture in an Erlenmeyer flask. Using the steel stand, put the flask over the alcohol burner. Put the thermometer inside the flask.**

**3\. Once it reaches 110˚C, remove the flask from the alcohol burner. Wait for it to cool down to a temperature of 36˚C. It will take 36 hours to cool down.**

**4\. Once it reaches 36˚C, pour in 10g of chemical A and swirl the mixture inside the flask.**

**5\. Put the flask on the steel stand above the alcohol burner and wait for it to turn into a beige powder.**

**Expected duration of process: 48 hours.**

**Effects: coughs, fever, weak limbs, excessive drooling, and death after days of consumption.**

**Instruction on how to make Antidote QZ(The antidote for Poison QZ)**

**Chemicals needed:**

**25g of Poison QZ**

**5g of Chemical J**

**Tools needed:**

**Alcohol Burner**

**Steel Stand**

**Erlenmeyer Flask**

**Bowl**

**Funnel**

**Steps:**

**1\. Mix 25g of poison QZ and 5g of chemical J in a bowl.**

**2\. Once mixed, transfer the mixture in an Erlenmeyer flask. Using the steel stand, put the flask over the alcohol burner. Put the thermometer inside the flask.**

**3\. Wait for it to turn into a dark brown powder.**

**Expected duration of process: 24 hours.**

**Fact #17: Missing Chemicals**

**There are missing chemicals in the chemical storage room. These chemicals are the chemicals needed to make Poison QZ and Antidote QZ.**

**Fact #18: Norio's Statue**

**The left arm of Norio's statue was destroyed. Out of all of the statues, it is the only one damaged.**

**Fact #19: Missing Thumb**

**The thumb of the left arm of Norio's statue is missing.**

**Fact #20: Hana's Testimony**

**Hana saw someone past midnight swing a mallet at Norio's statue. Asuka slept in her room.**

**Fact #21: Wooden Mallet**

**A wooden mallet was left on the floor. Both faces of its head have a waxy texture.**

**Fact #22: Trash Can**

**The trash can in the kitchen was infested by yeast and smelled like coffee.**

**Fact #23: Asuka's Testimony**

**Asuka slept in Hana's room. She saw a man swing a mallet at Norio's statue.**

* * *

After this, he looked up and saw everyone was looking at him. It was clear they were depending on him to lead the trial. He took a deep breath and started. "We only have one hour. Everyone needs to focus on this trial. Let's start with Norio's death it happened first." Everyone agreed.

Takashiro quickly commented, "Norio's murder is weird."

Hana agreed and said, "It feels like it happened all over the place. Where should we even start?"

Nao quickly suggested, "Let's start with where he was killed. We know that he died of poisoning. But, we have no idea where and when he ingested the poison."

"It can be anywhere. From what Eri said, Norio disappeared on her last night. He could have been poisoned anywhere. From all we know, he could have been poisoned in the comfort room." Hana added.

Nao quickly intervened. "Well, I think we can narrow it down to a few places we are sure he went there or was there."

Takashiro asked, "What are those places?"

Nao answered, "The hallway filled with lockers and the hallway outside of the quarantine room where Eri stayed at."

Samuru added, "That is a given. Eri did say he went out of the room and we found him in the hallway filled with lockers. But, how can we find figure out where he was poisoned from those two places?"

"Let's discuss what poison the killer used." Nao answered.

Hana added to the discussion, "Norio had white pupils, grey skin, and dry drool around his mouth."

Takashiro quickly commented, "That sounds like the effects of Poison K."

"Exactly! I think the killer used Poison K to kill him." Nao answered.

Hana added, "That seems like the right answer. It could also explain the disappearance of a pack of it from the clinic."

"Let's clear things up. The killer used Poison K to kill Norio. Is that right?" Samuru asked.

"Yes!" Hana shouted.

Samuru continued, "How does that tell us where he was killed?"

"I am actually going to get to that right now. Other than its effect, what else do we know about the poison?" Nao said.

Asuka quickly answered, "It is a powder and it is violet."

Nao continued, "That is right! It is a violet powder. From the places we have mentioned so far, which place had a violet powder?"

Hana answered, "We found some in the hallway filled with lockers."

Takashiro interrupted her and said, "Does that mean he was poisoned there?"

Nao nodded. All of a sudden, Asuka asked, "If we know he was poisoned there, my question now is how was he poisoned there?" Asuka brought up an excellent question. All of them were stumped by this question, except for Nao. Nao already had a clear picture in his mind about how it went down. He turned to Asuka and asked, "Poison only works when ingested, right?"

Asuka answered, "Duh!"

"Can you guys give ways on how a person can ingest the poison?" Nao asked.

Hana answered, "You can mix it with food or drinks. Is that the answer?"

"Not really. Other than the food we ate for picnic, there was no sign someone else cooked a meal or made a drink for Norio." Nao answered.

All of a sudden, Takashiro chuckled. Everyone turned to him. Takashiro stopped when he saw everyone was looking at him. Nao asked, "Why were you laughing?"

Takashiro answered, "Sorry… I just thought Norio could have been poisoned by someone shoving it in his mouth. The thought was kind of funny and stupid. Sorry!"

Nao smiled and said, "Actually, that is what I think happened."

Takashiro was surprised by this. "What?"

"If we think about it carefully, it is the only option the killer has. They did not prepare anything to disguise the poison. No one would just straight up eat poison. They have to force it inside his mouth. That would explain the spillage on the floor." Nao explained.

Samuru reiterated what Nao has told, "The killer poisoned Norio using Poison K. They forced Norio to eat it by shoving it in his mouth which also explains the violet powder we found where Norio's body was discovered. Is that right?"

Nao nodded. Samuru quickly asked, "How could the killer shove the poison into his mouth? Even though Norio is not the strongest among all of us, I could still see him put up a fight."

_Samuru brought up a good point. My theory sounds right but it is hard to execute. It is easier said than done. How did the killer shove poison into Norio's mouth easily? Think Nao, think! _Everyone was contemplating this question. All of a sudden, Norio had the answer.

"What if he was unconscious?" Nao asked.

Samuru answered, "That would be the perfect situation to poison Norio. All the killer had to do is pour in as much poison as they can into their mouth. If that is the case, why is Norio unconscious?"

Hana replied, "I feel like it has to do something with his wound on his head."

Asuka added, "That shit must have fucking hurt."

Nao said, "That could be the answer. Someone hit him so hard with something to his head that he got a wound and it incapacitated him."

All of a sudden, Takashiro asked, "Where was he knocked out?"

The group quickly thought about it. _We are now sticking with the scenario Norio is incapacitated. If that is the case, the question is where he was knocked out. So far, there are only two places where Norio has been that we are sure of. Out of those two, which place was most likely where Norio was knocked out. _Suddenly, Nao had an epiphany.

"The bloodstains!" Nao shouted.

Samuru asked, "What about bloodstains?"

Nao answered, "If we are going with the scenario of Norio being incapacitated and wounded, shouldn't the place where he was knocked out have bloodstains as well?"

"That would make sense. Norio's wound was bloody. Wherever he fell must have had bloodstains from his wound." Hana added.

"That is right! Right now, from the two places we know where Norio has been, which one had bloodstains?" Nao asked.

Asuka answered, "The hallway in front of the quarantine room where Eri was staying at!"

"Correct! Norio must have been knocked out as soon as he went out of that room." Nao added.

Hana said, "Let's repeat everything first before we move on. Norio was knocked out as soon as he went out of the room. I think we can assume he was brought to the hallway filled with lockers. There, he was forced to ingest poison and died. After that, he was stuffed into the locker."

Asuka asked, "When was he tied up then? Also, what was used to knock him out?"

Nao answered, "I think he was tied up before he was brought to the hallway filled with lockers or at least before the poison was shoved into his mouth. It would not make sense if he was tied up after he died. It must have been to restrain his movements. Does everyone have any comment on my theory?"

Samuru answered, "I think everything is right so far. Let's answer Asuka's second question. What was used to knock him out?"

Nao quickly answered, "I am not sure. I have been thinking about that as well. It could have been the mallet we found but it does not have any trace of blood. If it was used to hit him, it should at least have splotches of dried blood on it. However, it was only waxy."

Hana added, "I am not sure if we found anything that could answer that."

The group was now stumped. It was clear they don't have enough clues to answer the question. _I want to get to the bottom of this but I know for a fact we will not be able to answer it right now. I feel like the answer is somewhere in this building that we did not look at. _Nao clenched his fist and turned to everyone.

"I think we should move on to Eri's case for now. It is clear we will not be able to answer it right now." Nao said. The group agreed with him. Quickly, they jumped to Eri's case. The group was not sure where to start. Because of this, Nao decided to list down what they know for sure.

"Eri died of suffocation this morning. That is what we know for sure. But, I feel like it is not that simple. Let's discuss first what suffocated her." Nao said.

Takashiro answered, "That is easy! It is the pillow we found in the room. It had Eri's drool on it." Nao nodded in agreement.

Hana asked, "Why was she drooling so much? I don't think she is the kind of person who drools in her sleep."

Nao took a wild guess. "I think she was poisoned as well."

Asuka asked, "How? She had a fever and no one could have fed her anything when Norio was with her."

Then, Nao said, "What if the cause of her fever was poison?"

Samuru quickly asked, "Was it Poison K that poisoned her as well?" Nao quickly shook his head.

"I don't think so. If it was Poison K, she should have grey skin and white pupils." Nao answered.

Nao looked at Hana and Takashiro. "I think we should tell them about the chemistry lab and the chemical storage room."

Hana commented, "Right! I forgot about that!"

Quickly, Asuka asked, "What about those rooms? They are out of order. What do those rooms have to do with this trial?"

Takashiro answered, "Actually, we found out it is not out of order. Someone just put yellow tape around the doors to make it seem like it was out of order."

Immediately, Asuka turned to Monokuma and asked, "Are they telling the fucking truth, Monokuma? Are those rooms not out of order?"

Monokuma quickly answered, "When did I say those rooms were out of order? I don't recall any reason for me to close those rooms."

Everyone was shocked to hear this. Nao quickly commented, "It seems someone wanted those rooms all to themselves." After that, the room was silent. No one was sure what to say next. The tension suddenly grew. Everyone was looking at each other filled with distrust. Nao saw this an knew he had to do something. _We need to continue._

He cleared his throat and said, "When we looked through those rooms, we found pieces of equipment set up and some chemicals were missing."

Samuru said, "That means someone was using the room while all of us avoided it thinking it was out of order."

Nao nodded. Then, Hana asked, "Even though the rooms are suspicious, how does it connect with Eri's murder?"

Quickly, Nao asked, "Do you remember the guide we found?"

Hana nodded. "Yes! We found it opened. But, what does that have to do with Eri?"

Takashiro quickly replied, "The killer created the poison on the page the guide was open. It was Poison QZ. That is what you are trying to say, isn't it?"

Nao nodded. "That is right! The killer must have fooled us because they did not want anyone to see them make a poison. If anyone finds out they were making a poison, it will certainly make them suspicious. They did not want that to happen."

Asuka added, "Let me guess. The poison the killer used on Eri was Poison QZ, the poison they were making."

Nao nodded. Suddenly, Samuru asked, "What is your proof to say that? What if the guide was just randomly opened?"

_Samuru had a point. However, I already have the answer to that. _"Actually, I have an answer for that. The guide detailed the effects of the poison. It said that it can cause coughs, excessive drooling, fever, and death after two days of consumption. During the picnic, Eri was coughing violently. Soon, she had a fever. Then, we found her drooling excessively. I think that is enough to prove the involvement of Poison QZ."

After that, Takashiro said, "The killer tricked us by making us think the chemistry lab and the chemical storage room were out of order to make only a poison to kill Eri. Is that it?"

Then, Nao thought about what Takashiro said. _The killer only made a poison. I think that is not the only thing they made. There is something else they made. What is it again? _Nao thought deeply about it. Eventually, he came up with an answer.

"It was not just poison the killer made. There was something else on the page the guide was open at. Can you guys remember what it was?" Nao said.

The group thought about it. Suddenly, Hana had an answer. "The killer also made Antidote QZ!"

Nao nodded. "That is right! They also made an antidote for the poison they made."

Samuru asked, "What is your proof?"

Nao smiled and answered, "Among the list of chemicals that were used up were the chemicals needed to make Antidote QZ."

"So other than the poison, they made antidote. But why do that?" Asuka asked.

_Asuka is right. It does seem weird. Generally, anyone who wanted to kill someone would have just made a poison. They did not need to make an antidote for it. Unless… Unless they had a plan. _Suddenly, Nao had an idea. "Let's talk about how the killer poisoned Eri. Do you guys have any idea?"

Hana answered, "The poison must have been mixed with our food for the picnic. She did start coughing during the picnic."

"That is right. That is the only time Eri could have been poisoned." Nao replied. Then, he turned to Takashiro and asked, "What did Eri eat during the picnic?"

Takashiro answered, "She ate everything except for the coffee drink since she was allergic to it."

Then, Nao asked everyone what they ate. All of them ate everything and drank the coffee drink. _I knew it. I must say, the killer is smart to have come up with this. _Nao continued, "Which snack do you guys think had poison? Which snack had the antidote?"

The group could not follow. Nao decided to reveal it. "I think the killer mixed the poison in one of the snacks and the antidote in the coffee drink. Think about it. If all of us ingested the poison, we should be on the brink of death by now. But we aren't. All of us are okay right now. That is because of the antidote. The killer must have mixed the antidote into something Eri could not eat or drink since she was their target. The killer knew Eri cannot drink coffee since she is allergic to it so they mixed it with the coffee drink."

Everyone was speechless with Nao's explanation. Hana's jaw dropped to the floor. "If I did not listen to you guys and drank the coffee drink, I could be dead by tomorrow." Hana's knees grew wobbly. Suddenly, she fell to the floor. Nao ran to her and said, "Are you alright?"

Hana stared at the floor and was completely silent. After a few seconds, she turned to Nao and said, "I am alright. Thinking that I almost died made shook me to the core." Nao helped her stand up again. After that, he went back to his podium.

Monokuma was laughing on his throne as he watched Hana regain her balance. Then, he said, "I really wished you did not drink the coffee. It would have been more interesting to have three victims than two. Upupupu!"

_Three victims? _Nao asked, "Isn't it against the rule to kill more than two people?"

Monokuma stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "That is right! I forgot about that rule. Carry on with the trial." Nao was about to speak again when Monokuma cut him off. Monokuma said, "By the way, thirty minutes remaining before this trial ends."

Suddenly, the panic was seen in everyone's faces. "We need to solve this trial quickly!" Asuka shouted. Everyone was enveloped with fear. The thought of losing the trial sent shivers down everyone's spine. _This is mayhem. We need to continue or else we will not be able to reach the answer. I can't just say who I think did it without solving the murders first. _

Nao cleared his throat and caught everyone's attention. "Let's all calm down and continue. Takashiro, please tell us where we stopped."

Takashiro nervously answered, "The killer poisoned all of us but we were cured, including the killer, because we drank the coffee drink with the antidote except for Eri who was allergic to it."

"Thank you! Now, let's talk about which snack was poisoned." Nao said.

"We prepared so many snacks. How will we figure that one out?" Asuka asked,

Nao answered, "I already know the answer. I think it is the doughnut."

Samuru asked, "How could you say that?"

Nao simply explained, "I found coffee and yeast dumped in a trash can in the kitchen. And, according to the guide, Poison QZ looks exactly like yeast. The killer must have dumped some of the yeast and coffee to make room for the poison and antidote before Roxanne and I made the snacks for the picnic."

Then, Takashiro repeated everything. "The killer poisoned the doughnuts and added the antidote to the drink Eri cannot drink to poison her. However, the killer decided to kill her today during the time all of us searched for Norio's corpse."

After that, Hana raised a question. "I have been wondering why Eri's bear is missing. It seems strange to me. Why did it go missing?"

Nao knew the answer. However, he was debating whether or not to reveal the truth behind the bear. _I want to tell them but I might look suspicious. However, if I don't say anything, we will be stuck on this._

Nao took a deep breath and answered, "I think I know why."

Everyone looked to him for an explanation. "Before we went to look for Norio, Eri told me Norio wanted me to get the bear."

Hana asked, "Why?"

Nao answered, "I am not sure but… I think it has something to do with the truth about this game." Everyone was puzzled by his revelation. Nobody could say a word. It was far from what they were expecting.

Hana asked, "Do you know something we don't?"

Nao answered, "Here is the truth. When Rei was alive, I found out she was hiding the fact that she knew something. She did not tell me anything other than there were people who knew what she was hiding. I tried to figure out who those people were but with little to no clue to their identity, I wasn't able to do anything. I am guessing those people were Eri and Norio."

"Why did you only tell us now?" Samuru asked.

"Because I did not know who to trust." Nao answered.

Takashiro added, "If that is the case, the killer killed those two to hide the truth about this game?"

Nao simply answered, "It seems so…"

Everyone was shocked. Hana then turned to Monokuma and said, "You have an accomplice in our group?"

Monokuma simply shrugged it off by pretending not to hear it.

Then, Hana said, "Let's just go back to the murder. After figuring out who the culprit is, we can discuss their intention for killing Eri and Norio." Everyone agreed with her.

Nao looked around and saw questions forming in everyone's mind. Hana was the first to vocalize hers. "I am just confused with the murders. Why did the killer kill Norio last night and only killed Eri today? They could have killed Eri right after killing Norio but they chose not to."

Then, Asuka added, "We haven't even talked about the guy we saw last night. Why did they destroy Norio's statue?"

After her, Takashiro asked, "We have so many questions but we cannot each one of them. How are we going to narrow down our list of suspects?"

Nao finally decided to say something. "You are right Takashiro. Everyone is asking a lot but we can't answer them all. But… I think I can answer yours."

Samuru asked, "What do you mean?"

Nao answered, "All this time, I have a solid idea who did it but I did not want to just say it because I want to be sure I was right."

Hana quickly asked, "Who did it then?"

Suddenly, Monokuma shouted, "Fifteen minutes left!"

Asuka shouted, "Hurry Nao!"

Nao took a deep breath and answered, "Actually, it is quite simple to determine who did it. All I did was use the process of elimination. Last night, I was with Takashiro when Norio was killed while Roxanne was with Hana. Today, when we were looking for Norio's corpse, I was with Takashiro again while Hana was with Roxanne. That leaves us with one person." Nao turned to his prime suspect and shouted, "It is only you, Samuru, who could have done it!"

Samuru stood silent as everyone waited for him to say something. _Please, Samuru! Say something! Tell me I'm wrong! _The time went ticking as Samuru did nothing. It was silent and tension was rising. Hana was fidgeting with her podium. Takashiro's hands were turning into fists. All of a sudden, Asuka ran to him and punched him in the face. Finally, Samuru moved as he regained his balance.

Suddenly, Monokuma shouted, "Ten minutes left!"

Asuka shouted, "What is wrong with you! Just say something!"

Out of nowhere, a creepy smile formed on his face. Asuka took a step back and fell to the floor. It was the first time they saw Samuru like this. It felt like an ominous air enveloped the whole room. Quickly, Asuka ran back to her podium. Then, she looked back at Samuru in fear. "What happened to you?"

Monokuma shouted again. "Five minutes remaining!"

Finally, Samuru said something. "So what if I killed that lousy son of a bitch and that nosy brat?"

Jaws dropped. Everyone was speechless. _Is he confessing? _The only thing that broke the thick silence in the room was Monokuma's yell. "Last minute!"

Nao cleared his throat and said, "I think we have our answer…"

Suddenly, Monokuma shouted, "Time is up! It is time to cast your vote!"

Nao looked at the buttons on his podium. He quickly searched for Samuru and pressed it. _I know he is the only possible answer but why does it feel like it is wrong?_

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist

3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner**

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

After that, everyone waited for the results. The television screen on top of Monokuma showed a wheel with everyone's name. It started spinning faster and faster until it slowed down and landed on the name of Samuru Yagyuu. Suddenly, confetti appeared and the results of the voting were displayed.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Samuru Yagyuu – 4**

**Nao Hisoka - 1**

**Answer: Samuru Yagyuu**

**Correct!**

* * *

Suddenly, Samuru menacingly shouted, "You little shit! I should have targeted you instead of that teddy bear-loving bitch! Apparently, both of you knew something but at least she would not be as pesky as you in a trial!"

"Samuru, what are you saying?" Asuka shouted.

Hana quickly asked, "Are you working for Monokuma?"

Samuru rolled his eyes and said, "Isn't it obvious? I am working for that bear."

All of a sudden, Takashiro shouted at the top of his lungs, "How could you kill Eri! She did not do anything wrong! She was the sweetest person! She was so innocent! She did not deserve to suffer like that!"

Then, Takashiro broke down in tears. He knelt on the floor as he struggled to wipe the continuous stream of tears on his cheeks. Everyone felt the pain of Takashiro. Nao went to him and consoled him. He put his hand on his back and slowly caressed it.

Nao comfortingly said, "It is alright! We are going to find out why he did that to your best friend."

After a few minutes, Takashiro stood up and recomposed himself. Nao went back to his podium. After a few seconds, Samuru sniggered looking at the red-eyed Takashiro.

Nao turned back to Samuru and asked, "What did you mean by work for him?"

Samuru answered, "I helped him make this game become a reality."

Everyone was surprised by this revelation. Nobody can say anything except for Asuka.

Asuka replied, "You are lying! Stop it!"

Samuru chuckled, "I am not! I created this game with Monokuma to see all of you fall into despair! To make sure everything went smoothly, I joined the game. Good thing every time Monokuma presented a motive, someone killed someone. I didn't have to do anything. Last motive, I thought I was going to finally make a move. Fortunately, Umeko, the last person I thought could kill, did the deed. Even though she tried to kill me, all I had to do was scare her off."

Hana shouted, "You are insane! You are the reason why we are locked up in here!"

"You are a monster!" Asuka added.

Samuru continued as if he heard nothing. "With the six of you remaining, I knew no one was going to kill anymore. So I decided to step in. At first, I did not know who I was going to kill. Luckily, Monokuma tipped me about Eri and Norio. I can't let those two to make a move. They might ruin this game."

"So you decided to kill them." Nao added.

"That is right. I quickly put yellow tape on the doors of the chemistry lab and the chemical storage room and started making the poison before we even moved to the fourth floor. I just used the excuse of feeling guilty about Umeko's mom so that I could isolate myself from you guys without being suspicious.

Then, I made the poison and the antidote and suggested Nao to make coffee and doughnuts. I tampered with the yeast and the coffee. After that, all I had to do was wait for Eri the picnic. That night, to let some steam off, I destroyed Norio's statue."

_That does not sound right._

"Then, I went to where Eri was staying and knocked on the door and greet Norio with my mallet."

_That is a lie. Norio went out when he heard footsteps outside._

"I tied him up and carried him to the locker and shoved the poison in his mouth. I got too tired and called it a night."

_That sounds like another half-assed lie._

"Morning came and everyone was already in chaos. I used that time to suffocate Eri and took her bear somewhere you will never find. Everything went according to plan but I, Samuru Yagyuu, the Ultimate Executioner, made a mistake. I forgot about you Nao. I should have killed you instead of Eri. If you knew something, why did Monokuma not tell me about it?" Samuru ended.

_Everything about Eri's murder sounded right. But when it came to Norio's, everything sounded like a lie. _Nao took a deep breath and said, "You are lying about Norio's murder." Everyone turned to Nao. His declaration surprised everyone, including Samuru.

"What did you just say?" Samuru asked.

"You did not destroy Norio's statue. If you did, you would not have used a mallet since you already have your ax. You did not knock on the door where Eri stayed. No one did. According to Eri, Norio went out of the room when he heard footsteps in the hallway. If you truly wanted those two dead, you would have killed Eri and Norio on the same night. Why are you lying about killing Norio? You are taking the blame for it and I don't understand why." Nao said.

Samuru was shocked. Suddenly, he called Monokuma, "Monokuma, execute me now!"

A red button appeared in front of Monokuma. He pulled out a gavel and hit the button with it. "Let's give everything we got! It is punishment time!"

Quickly, Nao ran to Samuru and begged, "Tell us the truth! Who killed Norio?"

Suddenly, a clamp appeared and dragged Samuru away.

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Samuru Yagyuu has been found guilty**

* * *

**Off With His Head!**

**Samuru Yagyuu**

**The Ultimate Executioner Execution**

**-Used-**

Samuru was strapped to a guillotine. He was smiling as he waited for his demise. He screaming in enthusiasm as time passed by. All of a sudden, Samuru screamed, "It has been a minute already. I guess it is time." Immediately, Samuru attempted to yank his head out of the guillotine.

However, he could not escape. His frustration as he cursed more and more. "What the fuck is the meaning of this? I thought I was going to get away from this! Stupid piece of shit! You betraying bear! This is not what we talked about! I should not have trusted you! This is unfair! How dare you do this to me!"

No matter how much he cried for Monokuma, Monokuma did not appear. He continued to swear. All of a sudden, he found the camera and looked at it. Through it, he talked to Nao. "Nao! The bear is in the arts supply Room! Get it before that backstabbing bear lays his paws on it!"

All of a sudden, the blade fell and cleanly chopped off Samuru's head.

* * *

The group was silent after seeing Samuru die. They heard every word Samuru said. Nao knew what to do next. He quickly ran to the elevator and went straight to the arts supply room. Once he got there, he searched for the bear. Eventually, he found the bear hidden beneath a pile empty paint cans. He opened the zipper on the back of the bear and saw a key, a photo, a remote, and a letter.

He grabbed the photo and saw it was the picture of all of them stabbing an old man. _What is this photo? Who is this man? Why are we stabbing him?_

After that, he put back the photo and took the letter. He unfolded it and read:

"Use the key and remote to find the truth. If you are reading this, it means I am dead. It is up to you to save everyone else. –Norio"

After a few seconds, Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro found him sitting on the floor of the arts supply room. Hana asked, "Did you find it?"

Nao nodded.

Takashiro asked, "What's inside?"

"I think we found our key to finding out the truth about this game." Nao answered.

* * *

**Sweet Life, Bitter Death (Deadly Life)**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 4**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist(DECEASED)**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician****(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer****(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist****(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact****(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard****(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist****(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker****(DECEASED)**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist****(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner****(DECEASED)**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney****(DECEASED)**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist****(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 12**

* * *

**OMG! That is the last part of chapter 5! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**I cannot believe we just ended chapter 5! I want to say thank you to Prince PokePersona for sending Samuru! He was a fun character to write! I hope I did him justice!**

**What do you guys think will happen next? Are you surprised these are the last four people standing like Monokuma? Who were your original picks to survive this long?**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story! The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	45. Our Truth 1

**Hi guys! I cannot believe we ****made it this far! Part 1 of Chapter 6 is here! It is short but I hope you will still enjoy it!**

**Are you ready to solve the truth behind this game?**

* * *

Nao was on the floor with the bear in his arms. Everyone was waiting for him to break the silence. However, no word left his mouth but his next move was enough to create a reaction. He stood up from where he sat and went to the other three who are still alive. Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro eyed the bear in his arms.

Hana asked, "Open it! What's inside?"

Nao took out the letter Norio wrote and gave it to the others. It was certainly confusing. Takashiro, the last person to take the letter, gave it back to Nao. With no warning, Nao crumpled the piece of paper in his hands and threw it to the ground. The three were taken aback by Nao's action. Hana ran to the letter.

Hana turned to Nao and asked, "What did you do that for?"

Nao simply answered, "Norio wanted only me to get his message. He wanted me to do this on my own. I can't do that."

His response certainly stirred a reaction from Asuka. She grabbed him by his jacket and shouted at his face. "What? Dude! We are so close! What do you mean by you can't do it? It is only you who can fucking save us! Come on! Man up!"

The room became tense. Hana stood froze with the letter in her hands while Takashiro attempted to get Asuka's hand off of Nao. He put himself in between them but he was not able to do anything. After a while, Asuka let go of Nao.

Nao cleared his throat and said, "You should have let me finish."

Quickly, Asuka replied, "Yeah right? Tell us what you were going to say."

Nao took a deep breath and started explaining, "Norio wanted me to do this alone but I can't. I know I can't. Finding out the truth is too much for only one person to handle. If I am going to do this, I will need all the help that I can get. I need all of you guys to do this with me. We need to save ourselves."

Takashiro chuckled and said, "You should have said that from the beginning."

Asuka rolled her eyes and said, "Takashiro is right. I thought for a second you were working for Monokuma as well just like Samuru."

With the mentioning of Samuru's name, the room grew sullen. It was not long when they witnessed the revelation of the betrayal of Samuru. It was far from what everyone expected. _Samuru helped in making this game. I don't know how to take that in. I thought he would have a justifiable reason but all he did was show us how far gone he was. But, for some reason, he had a change of heart and led me to here. He is confusing._

After a while, Nao took out the key from the bear and held it in his hand. It was a silver key. Its bow had the insignia of Hope's Peak. Everyone was focused on it as Nao waved it through the air. "I bet this key will open at least one of the locked rooms on the fourth floor." Nao said.

Then, Takashiro commented, "Let's go now!"

Nao was about to take a step outside of the room when Monokuma appeared behind Hana. Hana jumped away from Monokuma as soon as she heard him. Everyone looked at Monokuma as the bear grinned at them.

Asuka shouted, "What's the matter with you? Why are you smiling like that? It is fucking creepy!"

Nao, instinctively, put the bear behind his back. The group took a few steps backward as they await for Monokuma's next words. After a few seconds, Monokuma started speaking. "It looks like you got to it before I could."

Takashiro replied, "Are you talking about Eri's bear?"

Monokuma answered, "Of course, I am talking about the bear! Why else are we all in here?"

All of a sudden, Asuka took the bear from Nao's hand. Nao turned around to Asuka. _Why did she take it? _Asuka simply mouthed the words, "Trust me!" Monokuma continued blabbering. "Give me the bear before something bad happens to all of you."

Hana shouted, "What if we don't want to?"

Monokuma simply chuckled. As Hana and Monokuma continued talking, Asuka opened the bear while she stood behind Nao. She moved Takashiro to stand in front of her as well. As soon as her hands were out of Monokuma's sight, she took out the photo and gave it to Takashiro. Then, she grabbed the key and the remote and handed it to Nao. She whispered to the group, "Get ready to run."

All of a sudden, Monokuma shouted at his loudest volume, "Give me the fucking bear, now!"

Asuka took a step forward with the bear in her hand. "You want this bear? You can take it! It is not like it had anything important. Just a bunch of shit a child would own." Then, Asuka threw the bear at Monokuma. Monokuma opened the bear and saw nothing but cotton.

Immediately, Asuka shouted, "Run!"

The four took off! Asuka grabbed Hana while Takashiro followed Nao. The two girls went downstairs while the two boys went upstairs. As the two boys were running, Takashiro tripped on the stairs. "Gosh, that hurt!"

Nao stopped and tried to help him stand up. However, Takashiro simply shooed him away. He said, "Go! I will lead him to the computer room. Go! Hurry!" With a heavy heart, Nao left Takashiro on the stairs.

Nao ran as fast as he can. He took two steps at a time just to get to the fourth floor faster. His heart was beating so hard. He could hear his pulse. It felt like everything disappeared. His eyes were only set to look out for one of the locked rooms. Eventually, he reached the fourth floor. Quickening his pace, he went towards the nearest locked room. He almost tripped from crumbs of wax of Norio's statue.

Once he was in front of the room, he grabbed the silver key from his jacket. Shakily, he inserted the key on the doorknob. He took a deep breath before turning the key. He heard a click. At that instant, he knew the door was finally unlocked. He took out the key and put it back in his jacket. Slowly, he put his hand on the doorknob. Before he could turn it to open the door, Monokuma appeared.

"Stop right there! You guys are one pesky group of students!" Monokuma shouted.

"What did you do with the others?" Nao asked.

"Nothing! I knew they would give you the key and the remote. Obviously, you are their de facto leader. Why bother chasing them if it's clear they would give it to you?" Monokuma answered.

Nao took a sigh of relief. Then, he smiled and said, "I'm sorry Monokuma but you are too late!"

Then, Nao opened the door. Monokuma shouted, "Don't!" However, just like Nao said, Monokuma was too late. Nao took a step inside the room. It was a messy office. Its floor was covered in pieces of paper. There was a dull red couch near the door. Beside it was a dead potted plant. In the middle of the room was a desk. It had stacks of papers and folders. Beside it was an unplugged computer.

Slowly, Nao walked to the desk. What caught his attention was not the towering stacks of papers. It was the bloody clump of wax that stood out the most. The papers near it were soaked in blood as well. However, the blood was already dry.

He took the wax and observed it. Instantly, he knew what it was. _This is the thumb of Norio's statue. _He turned around and saw Monokuma standing behind him. Nao immediately said, "This is the real weapon used to knock Norio out, isn't it?"

Monokuma quickly answered, "I don't know what you are talking about." He whistled as he avoided Nao's stare.

Nao continued, "You were rushing the trial because you knew the murder of Norio would not make sense if we discussed it properly. You wanted it to end with Samuru taking the fall for both Eri and Norio's murders. I don't know why but it is clear we need to reopen Norio's case."

After staring at Nao in silence, Monokuma finally chuckled, "It looks like I can't deny it anymore. You really are one tough cookie to crack. I truly thought you would not be as pesky as this when your precious Umeko died."

"Is that a yes on reopening Norio's murder?" Nao asked.

"What do you think, dimwit?" Monokuma answered.

"If that is a yes, are we going back to the courtroom this instant?" Nao asked.

Monokuma answered, "Nope! Not yet! If we are going to do another trial on this, I think I should be fair to all of you this time. It is not like I can hide anything from you anymore. You have the goddamn key and remote. I am going to give you another chance to investigate."

Nao furrowed his brows. _Something is up and I am not liking where this might go. _

Monokuma continued, "However, since I am already permitting you to access every room in this building, I think you should also solve the biggest mystery of them all. Sooner or later, all of you will figure it out."

"What is it?" Nao asked.

"The truth behind this game. I challenge you and your group to solve the truth behind this game. Figure out why you are here, who is behind this, and why this game exists! If you successfully solve this case, I will stop this game and I will leave you in peace. If you fail, all of you will receive punishment!" Monokuma answered.

"Receive punishment?" Nao asked.

"Yes! I think what I have offered you is fair enough. Is finding out the truth and earning your freedom not worth the risk? What do you say? Solve Norio's case and the truth about this game." Monokuma teased.

_I never thought he would give us this offer. I thought I would have to force another trial for this but the stakes are too high. Am I willing to gamble mine and everyone else's lives for this? _Nao could not look at Monokuma. All he could do was think about his offer.

"Can I talk about this with everyone else?" Nao asked.

"I need your answer now! Time is ticking!" Monokuma shouted.

_What should I do? _Nao took out the key and held it in his hand. _I hope this key will lead us to our victory._

"Kiddo! Is it a deal or not? I am not going to make this offer again." Monokuma said. He put out his paw waiting for Nao to shake it. Hesitantly, Nao took his paw and shook it.

"It is a deal then!" Monokuma shouted.

_I hope I made the right decision. _

Monokuma shouted, "This final trial is making me excited! You only have today to investigate. At 10:00 pm, we will start with the final trial! You got that?"

Nao nodded.

All of a sudden, Asuka, along with Hana and Takashiro, entered the room. They saw Nao shaking hands with Monokuma. Asuka asked, "What is happening?"

Monokuma laughed. He let go of Nao's hand. He said, "Tell them what is about to go down, will you?" After that, he walked out of the room. He just passed the three other students who were blocking the door. Asuka tried to follow Monokuma outside but the bear disappeared into thin air.

Asuka went back inside the room. Hana asked, "What is happening?"

Nao answered, "We will be having our final trial."

Takashiro commented, "What did you just say?"

Nao repeated himself. Then, he added, "We need to solve Norio's case and the truth behind this killing game. We are permitted to enter all of the rooms in this building. We only have until 10 pm to investigate. If we fail this trial, all of us are getting executed."

Everyone's jaws dropped. "We are going to do another trial today? I don't think I can keep up with that. All of my brain cells died from the trial earlier." Hana commented.

Nao continued, "But if we win, this game will end."

Asuka shouted, "You should have started with that! Seriously, you got to be more careful in phrasing your sentences. It is making us too tense to handle shit!"

Nao said, "Sorry! Didn't mean to!"

Then, Takashiro commented, "We are really going to do this then?"

Everyone nodded. Then, Nao said, "Let's do this! Let's stop this killing game once and for all!"

* * *

**That is it for now! I know it is short but I don't think I can add anything more to it.**

**I hope you are excited to finally unearth the truth about this game! Next chapter will be the whole investigation period. If I were you, I would reread the whole story again. You might have missed something.**

**If you want to talk about this fanfic, you can join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short introduction to the last chapter.**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	46. Our Truth 2

The remaining four students were standing in the middle of the office that Nao has opened only minutes ago. They have just been told that the final trial is coming and they have to solve not only Norio's case but also the truth behind the game.

Asuka, Hana, and Takashiro are standing silently waiting for Nao's next order. _We need to start investigating. It is already 10:30 am. We only have twelve hours to investigate. I hope it will be enough to investigate this whole building._

Finally, Asuka broke the silence and asked, "What are we going to do now?"

Nao answered, "Let's start our investigation since we are already in this room."

Hana took a glance at the whole office and commented, "This room must be hiding a lot. These papers must have something important. However, I doubt we will be able to read all of this one by one. What should we do?"

Nao nodded. _She is right but we can't miss a single thing. _Nao replied, "This is what we are going to do. Let's take a look first at the computer. After that, Takashiro and I will go through the papers on the ground. Asuka and Hana, you two are in charge of the papers on the desk. Is that alright?"

Everyone agreed. Just like that, the group started with their second investigation today. The last four went to the computer first. Hana plugged in the computer. Then, Nao sat in front of it and opened it. Once they opened it, they looked through the files. However, there is only one file. It is a video.

Asuka said, "Play it!"

Nao clicked on the video and played it. After a few seconds, the video loaded and started playing. The video started with an empty stage in an open field. It was set up extravagantly. It had ribbons and flowers put everywhere. There was a spotlight hitting the center of the stage.

A few seconds later, all sixteen of them entered the frame. They walked to the center of the stage. People were booing at them. Nao immediately paused the video. He looked at everyone and asked, "Do you guys remember doing this?"

"No! Duh!" Asuka answered.

"Was that us? Why are we being booed at?" Takashiro asked.

They continued to play the video. After another few seconds, a man wearing a military uniform walked right in front of them and stopped behind a podium at the rightmost part of the stage. _His face is familiar. _The guy had a black eyepatch on his left eye.

Suddenly, Asuka said, "Isn't that the guy from the class file?"

Nao paused the video and turned to Asuka. "Guy from the class file?"

"Yuh! He is our missing classmate. Uhmmmm… Was it Iramu Hiroki? Even Samuru knew him." Asuka answered.

Immediately, he recalled who it was. "Isamu Hiroshi, the Ultimate Prison Warden!"

Asuka shouted, "That is right!"

Hana commented, "Now that you mentioned him, it is him."

After that, Nao continued to play the video. Isamu started speaking.

Isamu said, "Repeat after me. I, state your name," After that, the sixteen of them copied him.

Isamu continued, "sincerely apologize for my inhumane demeanor. My past actions were atrocious and have no place in our society. I solemnly swear to repent on my unforgivable misconduct and isolate myself from society or so help me God." The group repeated after him every time he ended a sentence. After the speech, people cheered and the video ended.

_What was up with that vow? _Takashiro commented, "What was that about? I don't remember promising to isolate myself from society." Everyone agreed with him.

"What did we do to apologize like that?" Hana asked. No one had an answer. It was completely silent. After a few seconds, their tablets buzzed. They opened their tablets and saw a new folder was added.

"Case #6: The Final Trial…" Nao said. He opened it and saw a new file.

* * *

**Fact #1: Oath-Taking**

**A video shows the sixteen participants of the killing game apologizing to the public and taking an oath of isolation.**

* * *

_I guess this trial will run like our previous trials as well. _After that, the group turned off the computer and went on with what they planned. The group first went over to the desk where Nao found the bloody thumb of Norio's statue.

He took it and showed it to everyone. "Look! This is the missing thumb from Norio's statue." Nao said.

"How did that get here?" Hana asked.

"I don't know. I just found it here. I am guessing this is what truly knocked Norio out." Nao shared.

"If that is true, we have not solved Norio's murder." Asuka said.

"Actually, this is the reason why Monokuma was forced to hold another trial. I found this and Monokuma cannot deny it has something to do with Norio's murder." Nao added.

* * *

**Fact #2: Clump Of Wax**

**The missing thumb of Norio's statue is found in the office covered with dried blood.**

* * *

Takashiro commented, "If we found something like this in this room, we might find something else. I think we need to start searching these files." Everyone agreed. The girls started by browsing the files on the desk while the boys started reading the files on the floor. Takashiro was near the computer while Nao was reading the files under the desk.

Most of the files on the floor have been tampered with. Some were cut while others had words neither the two boys knew what it meant. However, they continued hoping they might find something.

As Nao was skimming through the files filled with gibberish, a paper caught his attention. Unlike the previous files he read, it had illustrations instead of digits. He took it and looked at it carefully.

Written at the top of the paper was "7 Pillars of Hope". The illustration showed a triangle. Inside it were the words, "Remnants of Hope". Below the triangle were seven pillars which contained different words. The seven pillars were humility, integrity, stewardship, discipline, courage, passion, and perseverance.

Each word had a description underneath the pillar. It said the following:

* * *

Humility – A remnant should see themselves as equal to everyone.

Integrity – A remnant should be morally correct in everything they do even if they are not under surveillance.

Stewardship – A remnant should guard the future of society.

Discipline – A remnant should influence the public to do what is right.

Courage – A remnant should be willing to do what is right even in the face of fear.

Passion – A remnant should exude energy in everything they do.

Perseverance – A remnant should have an unending determination to do their tasks.

* * *

Underneath the illustration was a note written by Kioshi Sadao. It stated, "Let this be their guiding principles in being the remnants of hope. –Kioshi Sadao"

_What is this? What are these remnants of hope?_

* * *

**Fact #3: Pillars of Hope**

**Kioshi Sadao created seven pillars for the Remnants of Hope to be their guiding principles. The seven pillars are humility, integrity, stewardship, discipline, courage, passion, and perseverance. It details that a remnant should always see themselves as an equal to everyone, do everything right without anyone looking, guard the future of the society, influence people to the right path, be willing to do what is right even in the face of fear, exude energy, and have an unending determination to do their tasks.**

* * *

He stood up and called everyone's attention. "Guys, I found something and it is weird." He showed the paper to everyone.

Hana asked, "What is wrong with this paper?"

Nao answered, "I noticed it is different from the rest. All of the files I have seen so far are filled with numbers and percentages that I don't understand. This is the first I saw to have some sort of illustration. It might mean something."

Takashiro commented, "I bet it does. I just received a fact from Monokuma about it."

Asuka and Hana checked their tablets and saw the file. Then, Asuka said, "I don't really how this can help us but let's just continue searching through these freaking piles of papers." After that, the group continued with their search.

Not too long, Asuka shouted, "Found something pretty interesting!" She held up an old newspaper. According to the newspaper, it was the official student publication of Hope's Peak Academy. The headline was "Class 1-A: The New Beacons Of Hope". It had photos of all sixteen of them doing some charity works.

Takashiro quickly pointed out his picture. "That is me! According to this photo, I am performing for an orphanage!"

Asuka and Hana saw their photos. Hana was composing an anthem of hope while Asuka was performing for a benefit concert. Then, Nao saw himself giving a lecture to kids who are in juvenile prison.

"When did I ever give a lecture in a juvenile prison?" Nao asked.

The four continued to read the article about them. It stated that their class except for Isamu have been doing charity works. They have been using their talents and personal stories to instill hope within everyone. They had even been interviewed on national television for their works. They were adored by the public.

* * *

**Fact #4: "Class 1-A: The New Beacons Of Hope"**

**The official student publication of Hope's Peak Academy has written an article about class 1-A. It detailed the good deeds they have done and the positive feedback they were getting.**

* * *

"Wait a minute! When did I do this shit?" Asuka asked.

Hana added, "I don't recall making a song critics dubbed as the anthem of hope."

While Asuka, Hana, and Nao were discussing the article, Takashiro saw another newspaper lying on the floor. It was published by the same publication. He turned to everyone and said, "Look guys! This one is weird!"

The newspaper was published months after the first newspaper they found. When they saw the article, they were visibly shocked to read the headline. Nao read out loud, "Class 1-A: Tyrannical Faces Of Hope"

"Tyrants?" Hana asked.

The group continued to read the article. It narrated some heinous deeds their class, except for Isamu, has done according to the news. It said that they have enforced a dictatorial approach in instilling hope. They forced everyone to follow certain etiquette. Some saw it as brilliant. It solved a lot of people's problems. These became their followers. However, many criticized them as well. They said it took their freedom. Their leadership divided the nation. Riots ensued and their executions of people who were against them were televised. It was pure chaos.

"We did this?" Takashiro asked.

"I have never killed anyone in my entire life!" Asuka shouted.

"This must be a lie Monokuma created." Hana added.

* * *

**Fact #5: "Class 1-A: Tyrannical Faces Of Hope"**

**The official student publication of Hope's Peak Academy has written another article about class 1-A. It detailed the heinous deeds they have done and the divide they have created in the nation.**

* * *

"I don't want to believe this too but I think we should take note of this for now." Nao said. After that, the group continued to skim through the countless papers they had. It was starting to become too much for them.

Hana decided to let Asuka deal with the unorganized papers on the desk. She was skimming through the folders when she found a black clipboard folder underneath the stacks of folders. She opened it and saw three contracts. "I think I found something…"

She showed the contracts to everyone else. The first contract was between Isamu Hiroshi and Kioshi Sadao. The contract stated that Isamu is to act as the guard of the sixteen "Remnants of Hope". He is also to make sure the remnants do not do anything that will violate the seven pillars. When things get out of hand, he is to control them.

The other two contracts were identical. It was between Mr. Sadao and two unknown people. Their names have been tampered with which made their names incomprehensible. Even though their names were tampered with, it was stated that they are participants of a certain project. Other than the names, the contracts were fine. The contract stated that whoever these people are, they have to be the last line of defense before "another tragedy" occurs. They have to make sure to do whatever it takes to prevent it from happening.

* * *

**Fact #6: Special Contracts**

**There are three contracts made by Kioshi Sadao. One was made for Isamu. It details that he is in charge of making sure to contain the Remnants if they get out of hand. The other two were made for two participants of the project. They are to be the last line of defense if another tragedy might occur.**

* * *

"Another tragedy? What are they talking about?" Asuka asked.

Hana answered, "I feel like someone already told us about this." Hana answered.

Takashiro agreed. "During the first day we met, someone told us about this and how Monokuma made previous killing games during the 'tragedy'."

Nao tried to recall who said it. He remembered Samuru fighting that person. He even asked Reyes to stop the fight between those two. Then, he heard the smug voice of the person in his head. "It was Jirou, wasn't it?"

"That is right! I remember him fucking calling us out for not knowing our history. But, I don't really know anything about this 'tragedy' thing. It must have happened years ago before I was born." Asuka added.

"It might be something only an Ultimate Historian knows." Hana commented.

"He did say he wanted to be the Ultimate Scholar. Maybe he studied this to achieve that goal." Nao replied.

While they were trying to recall what else Jirou told them about the tragedy, Asuka found a report by Kioshi Sadao. The report was inside a white folder. She took out and read it.

Immediately, she gave it to Nao. "Nao! Look! Kioshi made a narrative report on something."

Nao took it and read it out loud. The report contained:

* * *

Report #102

I believe someone has infiltrated my project. I don't know who it is or what their intentions are. However, I have to do something to fix this mess. This might be my last journal entry. If I fail, I hope my most trusted colleagues, Isamu and Sunako, will be able to do something.

* * *

I hope I will be able to reason out to at least to *censored* and *censored*. I hope they will be able to convince their friends to change.

"That was ominous." Hana commented.

"Monokuma tampered with this document as well. This might mean something." Takashiro added.

* * *

**Fact #7: Kioshi Sadao's 102****nd**** Report**

**The 102****nd**** report Kioshi Sadao wrote was about his suspicion of someone infiltrating his project. He mentioned Isamu as one of his most trusted colleagues.**

* * *

After that, the group continued with their search. Nao was on his knees scavenging through the messy pile of papers on the floor. He looked underneath the desk and noticed there was an envelope. He reached for it.

He looked at the back of the envelope and saw "Recruitment Report: Nao Hisoka". _That is my name. What is this recruitment report about me? _He opened the envelope and saw several reports on him.

He took out the first report and read it. He skipped the parts that had numbers and percentages and went straight to the conclusion.

* * *

After reviewing all psychological evaluations and results of national standardized tests of all students in Japan, the group has determined Nao Hisoka to be the perfect candidate for the position of No. 7. However, he does not have any remarkable talent. We can pick another candidate but none of them will be able to come close to the possible results that can be attained by Nao Hisoka.

* * *

_It says here I don't have any remarkable talent, which I agree with. But, why do I have a title then? _He continued reading the next report.

* * *

After much convincing, the board of directors agreed to have Nao Hisoka as a student and part of Class 1-A. He will be given the title "Ultimate N.E.E.T." which is close enough to his lifestyle. The only thing that remains is to deliver this news to Nao Hisoka and recruit him for the project.

* * *

_This explains how I got my ridiculous title. But, I still don't get why I am wanted so much. _Thinking the next report about him will have an answer to his question, he continued reading.

* * *

Unlike the others, Nao Hisoka has turned down the offer. The others already have arrived and were briefed on the project. Even though Dr. Kioshi Sadao personally met him to give him the news, Nao Hisoka rejected it. The project will not be able to move forward without him.

* * *

_When did I ever meet this Kioshi Sadao? I don't recall anyone named Kioshi Sadao telling me I am an ultimate. _All of a sudden, he remembered how he got the news. _Someone did tell me about being ultimate. It was a man but I cannot remember his face. Was that Kioshi Sadao?_

* * *

Nao continued to read the other reports. All of them were the same. It detailed how he rejected the proposal of being a student of Hope's Peak Academy and being a part of the project. There was only one report left. Nao read it.

* * *

Nao Hisoka has finally agreed to take part in the project. He volunteered and no one knows what made him change his mind.

* * *

_Did I change my mind? I still don't get what happened. _Nao has been silently reading the reports. Takashiro noticed this and asked, "Did you find anything interesting?"

Nao turned to Takashiro and answered, "Nothing helpful." He put the reports back in the envelope and put it down. _It is a weird collection of reports. I don't see how it will help us but it is interesting what supposedly happened to me._

* * *

**Fact #8: Recruitment Report Of Nao Hisoka**

**A report on Nao Hisoka's recruitment for a project was found. It detailed how he got his title and how long it took for him to agree to take part in the project.**

* * *

Nao opened his tablet and saw two hours had already passed. _We stayed here for too long. We have to move on to the next room. If we continue to skim through all of these files, we might waste another two hours._

He stood up and went to the girls who are at the desk. He called Takashiro to come to them. Once Takashiro was beside him, he said, "I think we need to move on to the next room. We have stayed here for two hours and we have only found five documents. I doubt we will find more important documents."

Asuka replied, "I agree. All of these files must be important but I can't even fucking understand the terms and the data. We will be wasting more time if we stay here." Hana and Takashiro agreed as well.

The four of them went out of the room and went to the next room. It was the other locked room. Nao only had the key and the remote from Eri's bear. He took out the key and inserted it in the doorknob. _Please don't break. _Nao slowly turned the key and heard a click. _It is unlocked. _Nao took a sigh of relief and opened the door.

The room was filled with television screens. Each screen was displaying what a CCTV camera is recording. They saw each room in the building being displayed on the screen. Below the television screens were a desk and a chair. On top of the desk were pieces of paper and a laptop. Other than that, there was also a bed and a comfort room.

"This room looks like someone has stayed here for a long time." Hana commented.

"Let's check out the laptop first." Nao said.

They first went to the laptop and saw several tabs were opened. The first open tab was editing software. It looked like someone was in the middle of editing. Hana sat down on the chair. Then, she clicked on the video that was being edited.

The group waited as the video loaded. Eventually, the video started playing. It started with a montage of the sixteen of them waking up from their rooms. Each one was given an introduction to their name and their titles. After that, the clip moved on to the first time they met Monokuma. The clip continued to show what had happened to them so far. The last clip was when Nao and Monokuma shook hands earlier. It had a piece of background music and special effects that made it like it will haunt someone in their sleep.

"What the fuck was that?" Asuka shouted.

"Someone is making a video out of the game." Takashiro added.

"It is like we are in some sort of reality tv show." Hana commented.

_I agree with Hana. It sure was painting Monokuma heavily as some sort of sadistic, evil creature while we were the helpless souls under his control._

* * *

**Fact #9: Editing Video**

**Someone is editing the videos of what has happened so far. It was painting Monokuma as a villain to be feared while the sixteen of them were made to look like his helpless victims.**

* * *

After that, Hana opened another tab. This time, it was a software that showed how many devices were currently connected to the CCTV system. Other than the laptop, another device was connected to it. The device's name was "Tablet 006".

_Tablet 006? Whose tablet is that? _Nao took out his tablet and looked for the name of its tablet. _Mine is Tablet 007. _He turned to the others and asked, "Can you put out your tablets? Look for the name of your device."

The three did so. Out of the three, Hana was the first to find hers. "Mine is Tablet 016."

Asuka followed, "I have Tablet 011."

Nao turned to Takashiro and asked, "What about you?"

Takashiro simply answered, "002"

Hana asked, "What is the name of your device, Nao?"

Nao showed his tablet and answered, "007"

_If it is not one of ours, then whose is it?_

* * *

**Fact #10: Tablet 006**

**Other than the laptop, a device named "Tablet 006" is connected to the CCTV system.**

* * *

After that, Hana closed the software and opened another one. It was a software for sending files. It detailed the files that it has sent to everyone. It listed all of the files each of them has ever received.

"Is this what Monokuma uses to send us the facts for the trial? Look, it just listed that all of us received the fact about Tablet 006." Takashiro pointed out.

The group continued to look at the files that were sent. As they were searching through the software, Nao noticed Norio's list of files. He leaned towards the laptop and turned to Hana. He asked, "Can you look at Norio's files?"

Hana opened the files Norio has received. One file stood out from the rest. It was the last file he had received and it was not a fact for a trial. It was labeled, "Warning". Hana opened it and they read it. The file contained:

* * *

I don't know how you got the key and the remote but congrats. Now that you have some glimmer of hope of saving your friends, let me dampen the mood. One of your friends is going to be sent to the quarantine room tonight. Who could it be?

Whoever it is going to be, make sure you will be the only one to guard them. During nighttime, look out for footsteps in the hallway. Once you heard the footsteps, get out of the room. If you fail to comply with this, one of your friends will randomly receive punishment. Tell this to your friends and I will make sure one of them will pay for it.

* * *

Nao asked, "When was that sent?"

Hana looked and answered, "It was sent yesterday before the picnic started."

"That explains a lot. It must be the reason why he was incessant on guarding Eri alone last night." Nao added.

* * *

**Fact #11: Monokuma's Last Message To Norio**

**Monokuma sent a message to Norio before the picnic started. It told him that someone will be sent to a quarantine room. He was forced to guard Eri all alone, anticipate for footsteps from the hallways, and get out of the room or else someone will receive punishment. He was also forced to stay silent about it.**

* * *

After that, there weren't any other file or software that was open. Hana looked through the laptop and saw it was empty. There weren't other documents or apps. "There is nothing left to look at in this laptop." Hana closes the laptop and got out of the chair.

The next thing they looked at was the papers next to the laptop. Nao took it and read it. It was another contract. However, it was between Isamu Hiroshi and the government of Japan. It stated he was to act as a prison warden and is tasked to make a monthly report on the prisoners.

He gave the contract to the others and let them read it. "What is this?" Hana asked.

"He is supposed to be guarding prisoners right now. It must be the reason why he is gone." Takashiro commented. Nao felt something was wrong with Takashiro's statement. _I am not sure what it is but maybe we can discuss it during the trial._

* * *

**Fact #12: Isamu Hiroshi's Contract**

**Isamu Hiroshi was hired by the government to guard certain prisoners and make a monthly report on them.**

* * *

After that, the four them looked around the room to see if they missed something. They made sure they looked everywhere. Unfortunately, there was nothing left in the room to look at. Nao stood up and told the group to move on to another room.

The four of them went out of the room. It was clear they did not know where else to look. Nao took out the key from his jacket and said, "There is no more room left to unlock. Where else should we go?"

Immediately, Hana asked, "What about the remote? What does the remote do?"

"I don't know." Nao answered.

Suddenly, Asuka added, "We should ask Monokuma. He definitely knows something about it."

Takashiro replied, "Will he even tell us what that is for? He might trick us again."

_Takashiro has a point but we do not have any other option. Beside, Monokuma did say he will do things fair this time. I hope he is true to his words. _Nao said, "I think we should ask Monokuma. There is no harm in asking."

Nao shouted for Monokuma to come out. It did not take long for Monokuma to appear in front of them. Monokuma greeted them, "What's up twerps?"

Hana asked, "What is the remote for?"

"What remote?" Monokuma asked.

Nao took out the remote and showed it to Monokuma. "This remote, what does it do?"

It took a minute before Monokuma answered, "That is for the elevator to the basement. Use that to get a ride down to the basement."

"Is that it?" Asuka asked.

"Yes! Get a move on! You don't have much time left!" After that, Monokuma laughed and disappeared again.

Asuka shouted, "You heard the bear! Let's go to the gymnasium!" The group ran to the gymnasium as fast as they can. Eventually, they made it. The group stood silently as they waited for Nao to call the elevator. He put out the remote but he did not know how to use it. There were dozens of buttons he did not know how to use it. The only button that stood out the most was the yellow button. Hesitantly, Nao pressed it. After a few seconds, the elevator appeared.

"Yeah! Let's get in and see what is hidden in the basement." Asuka shouted. The group went inside. Automatically, the elevator closed and went down. The group waited in silence for the ride to stop. Not too long, the ride finally stopped. The group stepped out of the elevator.

Takashiro turned to the others and asked, "Where are we going?"

Nao answered, "There are four rooms on this floor. We know that two of them are the courtroom and the room where the executions take place. There are two rooms left to search."

The group first went to the door that had a keypad on it. _This is the door I once tried to open. Monokuma was definitely happy when I tried to open it. It must be hiding so many secrets. _Nao input "0016" just like he would the last time he attempted to.

Suddenly, the door opened. The group entered and saw it was a humungous chamber. The room was divided into two by a thick glass wall. They were standing where desks and computers are. There were files scattered on top of the desks. On the other side of the glass wall were sixteen pods connected to huge supercomputers.

Nao randomly grabbed one of the files on the desks and saw these files contained data that they don't know how to interpret. "I think we should look through the computers first." Nao said.

The group looked around and saw a computer that was different from the rest. It was bigger and it was the only computer inside that part of the room connected to the pods. In front of the computer was a folder.

Nao opened it and saw a project proposal written by Kioshi Sadao. He read it and shared with the group what he found out.

"This is weird." Nao commented.

"What does it say?" Hana asked.

Nao answered, "It is a project proposal named, 'Project: Remnants of Hope'. Its goal is to create a group of students who will uphold the seven pillars of hope and influence the public to do the same. They are to be the defenders of society from future tragedies."

* * *

**Fact #13: Project: Remnants Of Hope**

**It is a project proposed by Kioshi Sadao. It aims to create a group of students who will uphold the ideals that will prevent another tragedy to happen. They are to influence the public to uphold the same ideals.**

* * *

"Again with the tragedy? I wish I know what they are talking about so that I can understand how shitty it must have been so that I can understand why the fuck they are doing this much." Asuka commented.

Nao nodded. _Asuka has a point. It must be really scary but I can't imagine the extent of these so-called tragedies for people to be so scared of it to create projects like this. _

After that, Nao put down the folder. The next thing they did was open the computer. The computer opened to a software named "Pod Control". It showed sixteen pods. Two pods were blinking red. Twelve of them were green while the other two were black.

"What is this?" Hana asked.

Nao answered, "It must be about those mysterious pods." He pointed at the pods on the other side of the glass wall.

Using the mouse, Nao looked through the pods. Every time the cursor landed on a pod, it showed the state of the pod. Nao said, "The pods that are blinking red are pods 8 and 13. It says that the pods malfunctioned and the 'command' failed. The green ones were able to successfully do the 'command'. On the other hand, the two black pods, pods 3 and 6, were not used."

"What does that mean?" Hana asked.

"I don't know." Nao answered.

* * *

**Fact #14: Pods**

**Pods #8 and #13 malfunctioned. Pods #3 and #6 were not used. The rest of the pods were used successfully.**

* * *

Takashiro suggested, "We should figure out what these commands mean. We might find out what were these pods used for."

Nao looked through the software and found a manual. It detailed how the pods work. According to the manual, the pods can copy memories from the subject inside the pod, show a memory to the subject inside the pod, and erase a memory of the subject inside the pod.

"Wait a minute! Why does it sound like it came from a sci-fi movie?" Asuka commented.

"This seems ridiculous!" Takashiro added.

"Yeah, it does. But so does this killing game." Nao replied.

"Fair point." Hana added.

"Basically, the pod can do three things, copy, show, and erase." Nao said.

* * *

**Fact #15: Commands**

**A computer plugged to the pods can do several commands. It can copy, show, and erase memories of anyone inside the pod.**

* * *

The group continued to read the manual. There was a certain section dedicated to what was called "Sadao's Algorithm". The manual just says it can use the algorithm. _What is this algorithm? _The group continued but there was not much information about the algorithm itself. It only says how to use it.

"Let's try and see what the algorithm can do." Hana suggested.

Nao followed what the manual said. However, it was complicated to follow. He had to hit certain keys at the same time. He had to type several inputs as well. Nao had to copy a specific code that listed the seven pillars of hope. It took up a lot of time to get it running. When he hit the last button, the screen flashed, "Error! The algorithm is missing!"

"Well, that was a lot of work for nothing!" Asuka commented.

"That was anti-climactic." Nao added.

"Why would they include a command for something that it does not have? It does not make sense." Takashiro asked.

"We should look into what the algorithm is later. Maybe the library has something about it." Nao suggested.

* * *

**Fact #16: Missing Algorithm**

**Sadao's Algorithm is missing.**

* * *

The group continued to mess around with the software. Unexpectedly, they stumbled upon a saved memory. It was named, "Sadao's Memory" The group tried to open it. However, they weren't able to. The screen only flashed, "Memory is inaccessible without pod"

"Damn! I thought we'll be able to see something important." Asuka shouted.

"If only we could use the pods, maybe we can see the memory." Hana mumbled.

Nao turned to Hana and said, "That is not a bad idea at all."

"What do you mean?" Takashiro asked.

"Let's do it. I'll be a subject, you guys follow the manual and show me the memory. Then, I will tell you guys what I saw." Nao answered.

Asuka laughed. Then, she shouted, "No fucking way we are going to do that! It is too risky! What if we mess up? What if something wrong happens to you?"

Hana added, "Asuka is right. It is too risky. We cannot afford to lose anyone else."

Nao replied, "I agree but I really think at least one of us needs to see it. It looks like it will help us a lot."

Takashiro took a step forward and said, "I agree with Nao. That memory must be important to be saved until now. We have to give it a try."

Asuka and Hana looked at each other. Hana sighed and said, "Fine, let's do it. But, we need to be careful."

"Let's talk about how we are going to do it first. Nao will be the subject. Who will operate this computer?" Asuka asked.

Nao answered, "Anyone can. It is really simple. According to the manual, you only have to click on the pod twice and the list of commands will appear. Once you have picked the command, all you guys have to do is pick the memory."

"Okay, let's hope it works." Takashiro commented.

Nao went to the other side of the room leaving the three with the computer. He ran to the pods. Once he was in front of the pods, he stopped and observed the pods. _Each pod is numbered outside. _He looked at his tablet and remembered his device's name. _007… It must mean something. _He looked around and found pod #7.

He opened the pod and saw what was inside. The inside is lined with a mattress and had a pillow to support the head. There were tubes attached to the inside of the cover of the pod. Near the pillow was a helmet-like structure. It had wires sprouting out of it. _I am guessing I will need to wear that when I'm inside this pod._

He turned to where the others were standing. He shouted, "I am using pod #7!" After that, he lied down inside the pod, wore the helmet, and closed the pod. He waited for a few seconds when smoke suddenly enveloped the whole pod. The smoke was not irritating to the nose. It was cool and smelled of lavender. After a few minutes, he fell asleep.

* * *

Nao woke up in a dark room. It was awfully silent. He could tell someone was sitting beside him. The person was breathing heavily. All of a sudden, the person hugged him and said in a calming voice, "It's alright sweetie! I am here. No one is going to hurt you."

Even though the person is a stranger, he could not help but trust her. He leaned towards the person and drowned himself in the person's hug. They stayed like that for a few more minutes when they heard someone walking outside of the room.

The person hugging him let go of him. He could hear them stand up and walk away. All of a sudden, a streak of light crept into the room when the person opened the door and went out. It was only a second but he saw the person was a lady in their mid-30's. She was wearing a blue dress and her brown hair was messily tied into a bun.

After a few minutes, the lady shouted, "Kioshi, run!" Then, a gunshot echoed through the room. Nao quickly stood up and ran out of the room. He found himself in an unfamiliar hallway. Quickly, he saw a door and towards it. As he opened the door, someone shot the door. He bolted out as fast as he could.

He could feel tears were running down his face. He passed by shattered windows of boutiques. Dead bodies were rotting on the sidewalk. Fighter planes were zooming through the sky as it fought a huge Monokuma. The loud boom from detonated bombs echoed through the streets. As he was running, he encountered a group of students holding guns and knives.

He stopped as the students stare at him. He took a step back. Suddenly, they ran towards him. He scurried away as he dodged gunshots and knives thrown at him. He turned to a dark alley. When he found a huge garbage bin, he climbed in it and hid underneath the pile of rubbish.

All of a sudden, Nao could hear internal monologues. However, it wasn't his. It was the voice of a different man. _This is wrong! This is evil! How could someone think this is right? People are killing people left and right. Some are committing suicide. Every day feels like hell. If a deranged girl was able to influence people to start this tragedy, I wish some people can influence people to stop. I wish some people showed the public what is right so that this never happened and will never happen again._

* * *

All of a sudden, Nao woke up. He took off the helmet and pushed the cover of the pod to open. He got out of the pod and fell to his knees. He was breathing heavily while his hands trembled in fear. Asuka and the others ran towards him. Hana patted his back as he tried to calm down.

After a few seconds, Nao finally calmed down. He stood up and looked at everyone. "Sorry if I made you guys worry."

Takashiro asked, "What happened?"

Nao answered, "I think I just saw the most atrocious and the most-despair inducing thing in my life. People were killing each other and themselves. A huge Monokuma was terrorizing a city. Students like us had the strongest desire to kill. It was messed up. It is something no one should ever go through."

"It was that bad?" Asuka asked.

Nao simply nodded.

* * *

**Fact #17: Sadao's Memory**

**The Pod Control has a saved memory. It showed the memory of a young man living through the times of the first tragedy.**

* * *

After that, the group went back to the computer and looked through it again. However, there was nothing left to see. The group continued to look around. As Nao was looking through the files, he stumbled upon a red flashdrive in front of a plugged computer. Other than the computer connected to the pods, it was the only computer plugged in the room.

He opened the computer and checked its files. However, it only had a video. Nao played it. However, the video was broken. It was only able to play a 5-second segment of the video. It showed Samuru dragging a girl away from the computer connected to the pods. The girl was a redhead. She was wearing circular rimmed glasses, a buttoned lab coat, and black shoes. The girl was screaming as she was holding two flashdrives. One was blue while the other was red.

The girl screamed, "Isamu, help me!"

The video stopped. He called the others to watch the video and played it again. Everyone was confused about what they were watching.

"What was that? Why was Samuru attacking the girl?" Hana asked.

"I don't know. I just found it." Nao answered.

"I know Samuru is crazy but that was just weird. Why would he drag a girl like that away from the computer? It does not make any sense." Asuka said.

* * *

**Fact #18: Broken Video**

**A broken video showed Samuru dragging a girl away from the computer connected to the pods. She was screaming as she held onto red and blue flashdrives.**

* * *

Nao took the flash drive in front of him and stuck it into the computer. The flashdrive only contained one file. It was named "NEW CODE". He opened the file and saw a long code that he cannot understand. It was made up of digits and letters. However, there are words that he can identify.

"It says the new seven pillars. It also has the words tyranny, extremism, and merciless. I don't know what that means but it looks bad." Nao commented.

"I wish we have someone good with computers in our group. We might have an idea of what this code means." Hana added.

* * *

**Fact #19: Red Flashdrive**

**A red flashdrive contains a file named "NEW CODE".**

* * *

After that, the group continued their search. However, there was nothing left to find. The group stopped and went out of the room. They went directly to the next room. They opened the sliding door and went inside. The first thing they noticed was the giant iron cabinet. The cabinet had twenty compartments. Fourteen of the compartments had a sign on its door saying, "OCCUPIED". On the other side of the room was a desk with several folders on it.

Asuka was eyeing the compartment nearest to her. According to the sign, it was occupied. However, it did not stop her from opening it. As soon as she opened it, she quickly regretted it. It was a body bag that had a corpse inside it. She fell to the ground screaming, "What the fuck is this!"

Nao went to the compartment and closed it. He commented, "This must be where the dead bodies go."

The group quickly avoided the morgue freezer and went to the desk. They picked up several folders. Hana counted there were twelve folders. Nao took one and immediately noticed it was an autopsy report. The names of the bodies were tampered with as well but the cause of death was not.

Nao read the one he was holding out loud. "Body #9… Electrocution…" He quickly put down the folder and read another one. "Body #1… Mauled to death…"

He turned to everyone and said, "Read these autopsy reports. We might find something interesting."

The group quickly finished reading the reports. They shared what they have read.

* * *

**Fact #20: Autopsy Reports**

**There are a total of 12 autopsy reports and bodies in the morgue. The autopsy reports go as follows:**

**Body #1 – Mauled to death**

**Body #2 – Poisoned by Poison F**

**Body #3 – Blown up to bits**

**Body #4 – Asphyxiation**

**Body #5 – Stabbed in the back**

**Body #6 – Stabbed in the head**

**Body #7 – Torn to bits**

**Body #8 – Strangulation**

**Body #9 – Electrocution**

**Body #10 - Poisoned by Poison K**

**Body #11 – Suffocation**

**Body #12 – Beheaded**

* * *

"It seems about right. Twelve reports for our twelve dead friends." Takashiro commented.

_It does look right but I feel like there is something weird about this list. _

Other than the reports, there was nothing in the room that caught their interest. They went out of the room. They were about to ride the elevator when Nao looked at the room where the executions were held. He stopped as he eyed the door.

Hana asked, "What are you thinking, Nao?"

Nao answered, "I was wondering we might want to check that room. We have never gone inside there. Maybe it has something important."

Asuka butted in, "Then, let's go!" Quickly, Asuka opened the door. The others followed her to this spacious room. It was empty. There were cameras everywhere. In the corner of the room was a small room. Above its door had the sign "Control Room". The group went inside the room and took a look at what was inside.

There were controls they have never seen before. On a desk, there were six folders. Each folder had a stamp that says "USED". Nao opened one and it contained the instructions for an execution titled, "The Woman Who Can't Be Moved". _This is Umeko's execution. _Quickly, he skimmed through the others. He knew every execution, except for one.

"Whose execution is this?" Nao asked

The folder contained an execution titled, "Cerberus, Guard Dog Of Hell". It detailed how a man is dragged to hell and is mauled to death by Cerberus. Nao asked the group, "Did we have an execution like this?" He gave the folder to everyone else.

"Nope! No one was killed by a giant three-headed dog in our group." Takashiro answered.

"So, whose execution is this?" Nao asked.

* * *

**Fact #21: Cerberus, Guard Dog Of Hell**

**According to the documents found inside the room where executions are held, there have been six executions. One of which is titled, "Cerberus, Guard Dog Of Hell".**

* * *

After that, Nao put back the folder. Then, the group exited the room. They took another ride in the elevator and went back to the gymnasium. After that, Nao said, "Let's head to the library. We might find something about Sadao's Algorithm."

They went straight to the library and remembered how huge the library was. _I totally forgot this library is like a maze. We need Monokuma's help if we are going to look for books about the algorithm. _Nao shouted, "Monokuma, come out!"

Monokuma appeared behind the front desk of the library. Monokuma asked, "What is it this time?"

Nao answered, "We need your help to get some books on Sadao's Algorithm." Immediately, Monokuma gave him one book.

"Is that all?" Monokuma asked.

Nao thought about it for a while. Then, he answered, "Do you have any books about the 'tragedy'?"

Monokuma answered, "Nope! We don't have one!"

"What? You said this library has a copy of every book that has ever been published. It is impossible you do not have a book about that!" Nao demanded.

"I wish someone did publish a book about my works but it was banned! No form of literature can use the 'tragedy' as a topic." Monokuma explained.

* * *

**Fact #22: Literature On Monokuma**

**Making literature based on the "tragedy" is banned. No literature about the topic was ever made.**

* * *

Nao took the book and went to a table. The others followed him. The book was about neuroscience. It listed every notable neuroscientist. Nao continued looking for Kioshi Sadao's article. Eventually, they found the article.

The article talked about Kioshi Sadao's invention of the Memory Pods. It was a tool that can be used to copy, show, and erase the memory of a person. However, his biggest achievement is his creation of Sadao's Algorithm. Sadao's Algorithm is used by assessing one's memories and, based on the assessment, pass a principle to one's memory. There are mainly two ways of how it works. It can either influence a person to choose to change by simply showing the perfect memory of other people or forcefully implant a principle in one's mind that will completely change the person against their will.

The article continued talking about how Sadao is not willing to share his algorithm yet to the public. He only wants it to be used under his supervision.

"That sounds like one dangerous algorithm." Hana commented.

* * *

**Fact #23: Sadao's Algorithm**

**It is an algorithm made by Kioshi Sadao. It works by assessing a person's memory and, based on the assessment, pass a principle to the person. It can be used by either influencing a person to choose to change or implanting ideologies in someone's brain.**

* * *

"I still don't get how it works but knowing that it can change people completely means it must not fall into the hands of bad people." Takashiro added.

After that, the group was left with asking where else they should go. "What are we still missing?" Nao asked.

Takashiro was fumbling with his bag when he found the photo from Eri's bear. He took it out and said, "Guys, we almost forgot about this photo."

Nao took the photo and looked at the photo carefully. It was a picture of all of them stabbing an old man. As he was looking at it, he realized the old man was familiar. "Isn't this Kioshi Sadao?" Nao put the photo beside the photo of Kioshi Sadao on the book.

"It is him!" Hana shouted.

"Wait, what does this fucking mean?" Asuka asked.

"Did we kill that man? But, when? I don't remember doing any of this stuff! I don't remember being a tyrant!" Takashiro said.

"We are going to get to the bottom of this." Nao answered.

* * *

**Fact #24: Eri's Photo**

**Eri's photo is a photo of sixteen of them stabbing Kioshi Sadao.**

* * *

_So far, all of the photos from the carnival have been like this. Umeko won a photo of Mako and Samuru killing her mother. I won the photo of Reyes killing two men, including Umeko's father. From what I can remember, two more photos were won, the jackpot and "8"._

Nao stood up and said, "I think we should take a look at the photos from Monokumaland. We might find something interesting."

"Let's go!" Asuka said. The group left the book on the table and went straight out of the library. Then, the group made their way to Monokumaland. They quickly called for a train and took a ride to the Isle of Games. Once they were there, they went straight to where the photos were won.

"What are we going to do here?" Takashiro asked.

"We are going to play for the photos." Nao answered.

Immediately, Nao shouted, "Monokuma! We are here to play!"

Monokuma appeared and said, "Hello there! If you want to win a photo, all you have to do is hit the three targets with the shotgun."

Nao quickly took the shotgun and hit the first two targets. When he was firing for the last target, he almost missed but Monokuma helped him hit the target like last time. "Congratulations! You won a photo!"

"Wait! What just happened?" Hana asked.

Nao explained, "When I last played here, I found out the Monokuma in charge of this stall is willing to help the player win."

Monokuma continued, "Spin the wheel!"

Nao spun the wheel and it landed on "6". Monokuma gave the photo and it was Jirou burning a woman alive.

"What is this?" Takashiro asked.

"First of many disturbing photos." Nao answered. After that, Nao continued playing until he won every photo. Monokuma gave him the last photo available which was "9". It was a photo of Manon tying up a lady who has been beaten up.

Asuka quickly pointed out, "Isn't that Manon's sister? She was the girl crying for help during Manon's execution. What the fuck is Manon doing to her sister?"

It was one of the many disturbing Nao won. "2" was Takashiro playing with an old woman as a puppet. "7" was Nao strangling a man. "11" was Asuka bashing a guitar on a man on stage. And, "16" was Hana stabbing a couple with a knife.

"Why were we doing this?" Hana asked as she cried.

Nao consoled Hana. Then, he said, "We are missing two more photos, '8' and 'Jackpot'. I am guessing the photo from Eri's bear is the jackpot while '8' is Norio's photo. Norio is the only one we do not have a photo of."

* * *

**Fact #25: Photos**

**The photos revealed everyone to have killed someone. Almost all of their loved ones were the ones in the photos being murdered by them. The numbers assigned to the photos are as follows:**

**1 – Jitsunori Setsunosuke**

**2 – Takashiro Tanoshi**

**3 – Samuru Yagyuu**

**4 – Ayumu Watanabe**

**5 – Ichimako Watadzumi**

**6 – Jirou Katashi**

**7 – Nao Hisoka**

**8 – Norio Kurosawa**

**9 – Manon Aida**

**10 – Kayle Ito**

**11 – Asuka Kiyora**

**12 – Umeko Midori**

**13 – Rei Kurosawa**

**14 – Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz**

**15 – Eri Shizuka**

**16 – Hana Ongaku**

**2+15 – Takashiro and Eri**

**3+5 – Samuru and Mako**

**7+12 – Nao and Umeko**

**3+11 – Samuru and Asuka**

* * *

"What should we do next?" Hana asked.

Nao took out his tablet and saw it was already 8:00 pm. He turned to the group and said, "It is only two hours until the final trial. I don't know where to look anymore. We have searched everywhere we could. Let's eat for now since we have not eaten anything since this morning. After that, let's talk about what we have so far."

The group agreed with Nao. They went to the cafeteria. Then, Nao prepared a quick meal. After that, they talked a bit about the clues. It was mostly just questions and no answers. Everything was still confusing. _During the trial, we should answer all of these questions one by one starting with who killed Norio._

The group did not notice time passing by. All of a sudden, Monokuma announced, "Investigation period is over! It is time for the final trial!"

The group went out of the cafeteria and went straight to the gymnasium. Using the remote earlier, they took a ride in the elevator going down to the basement. It was the most silent ride they have ever had. No one dared to speak. Once they have reached the basement, the four of them went straight to the courtroom where Monokuma was waiting for them.

As the stepped into the room, Monokuma greeted them saying, "Are you ready for your final trial?"

* * *

**That is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it!**

**Now that you have all the facts you needed, what do you think happened to them? Who is behind all of this? Who killed Norio? I will put up a poll asking who is the mastermind and who killed Norio on my profile.**

**If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story. The invite is on my profile.**

**Anyway, that is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	47. Our Truth 3

The remaining four students ignored Monokuma and went straight to their podiums. Nao looked at where Samuru was supposedly standing. Instead of him, there is only a photo of him. _I still can't believe there are only four of us left. Yesterday, there were seven of us and that number dwindled to four this morning. I will make sure that Samuru's death is the last one. No more deaths!_

Monokuma broke the awful silence in the room. He mumbled, "This is the most silent you guys have ever been. You must be saving up some energy for this trial. Well, you are going to need it anyway. Everything you have done so far will go to waste if you lose this one. I can't wait to see your faces when you lose!"

All of a sudden, Asuka shouted, "Say whatever you want to fucking say Monokuma! The one who will win this frigging trial is us and not you!"

"Feisty!" Monokuma commented.

"Roxanne is right! We are going to put a stop to this killing game!" Hana added.

Monokuma replied, "We will see about that twerp!"

Monokuma continued rambling on about how excited he is. Nao did not pay him any attention. All he did was take out his tablet and look at the last set of facts he will ever have. _This is our most important trial. We cannot mess this one up. I need to do whatever it takes to win. _He reviewed the facts they have gathered for one last time.

* * *

**Fact #1: Oath-Taking**

**A video shows the sixteen participants of the killing game apologizing to the public and taking an oath of isolation.**

**Fact #2: Clump Of Wax**

**The missing thumb of Norio's statue is found in the office covered with dried blood.**

**Fact #3: Pillars of Hope**

**Kioshi Sadao created seven pillars for the Remnants of Hope to be their guiding principles. The seven pillars are humility, integrity, stewardship, discipline, courage, passion, and perseverance. It details that a remnant should always see themselves as an equal to everyone, do everything right without anyone looking, guard the future of the society, influence people to the right path, be willing to do what is right even in the face of fear, exude energy, and have an unending determination to do their tasks.**

**Fact #4: "Class 1-A: The New Beacons Of Hope"**

**The official student publication of Hope's Peak Academy has written an article about class 1-A. It detailed the good deeds they have done and the positive feedback they were getting.**

**Fact #5: "Class 1-A: Tyrannical Faces Of Hope"**

**The official student publication of Hope's Peak Academy has written another article about class 1-A. It detailed the heinous deeds they have done and the divide they have created in the nation.**

**Fact #6: Special Contracts**

**There are three contracts made by Kioshi Sadao. One was made for Isamu. It details that he is in charge of making sure to contain the Remnants if they get out of hand. The other two were made for two participants of the project. They are to be the last line of defense if another tragedy might occur.**

**Fact #7: Kioshi Sadao's 102****nd**** Report**

**The 102****nd**** report Kioshi Sadao wrote was about his suspicion of someone infiltrating his project. He mentioned Isamu as one of his most trusted colleagues.**

**Fact #8: Recruitment Report Of Nao Hisoka**

**A report on Nao Hisoka's recruitment for a project was found. It detailed how he got his title and how long it took for him to agree to take part in the project.**

**Fact #9: Editing Video**

**Someone is editing the videos of what has happened so far. It was painting Monokuma as a villain to be feared while the sixteen of them were made to look like his helpless victims.**

**Fact #10: Tablet 006**

**Other than the laptop, a device named "Tablet 006" is connected to the CCTV system.**

**Fact #11: Monokuma's Last Message To Norio**

**Monokuma sent a message to Norio before the picnic started. It told him that someone will be sent to a quarantine room. He was forced to guard Eri all alone, anticipate for footsteps from the hallways, and get out of the room or else someone will receive punishment. He was also forced to stay silent about it.**

**Fact #12: Isamu Hiroshi's Contract**

**Isamu Hiroshi was hired by the government to guard certain prisoners and make a monthly report on them.**

**Fact #13: Project: Remnants Of Hope**

**It is a project proposed by Kioshi Sadao. It aims to create a group of students who will uphold the ideals that will prevent another tragedy to happen. They are to influence the public to uphold the same ideals.**

**Fact #14: Pods**

**Pods #8 and #13 malfunctioned. Pods #3 and #6 were not used. The rest of the pods were used successfully.**

**Fact #15: Commands**

**A computer plugged to the pods can do several commands. It can copy, show, and erase memories of anyone inside the pod.**

**Fact #16: Missing Algorithm**

**Sadao's Algorithm is missing.**

**Fact #17: Sadao's Memory**

**The Pod Control has a saved memory. It showed the memory of a young man living through the times of the first tragedy.**

**Fact #18: Broken Video**

**A broken video showed Samuru dragging a girl away from the computer connected to the pods. She was screaming as she held onto red and blue flashdrives.**

**Fact #19: Red Flashdrive**

**A red flashdrive contains a file named "NEW CODE".**

**Fact #20: Autopsy Reports**

**There are a total of 12 autopsy reports and bodies in the morgue. The autopsy reports go as follows:**

**Body #1 – Mauled to death**

**Body #2 – Poisoned by Poison F**

**Body #3 – Blown up to bits**

**Body #4 – Asphyxiation**

**Body #5 – Stabbed in the back**

**Body #6 – Stabbed in the head**

**Body #7 – Torn to bits**

**Body #8 – Strangulation**

**Body #9 – Electrocution**

**Body #10 – Poisoned by Poison K**

**Body #11 – Suffocation**

**Body #12 – Beheaded**

**Fact #21: Cerberus, Guard Dog Of Hell**

**According to the documents found inside the room where executions are held, there have been six executions. One of which is titled, "Cerberus, Guard Dog Of Hell".**

**Fact #22: Literature On Monokuma**

**Making literature based on the "tragedy" is banned. No literature about the topic was ever made.**

**Fact #23: Sadao's Algorithm**

**It is an algorithm made by Kioshi Sadao. It works by assessing a person's memory and, based on the assessment, pass a principle to the person. It can be used by either influencing a person to choose to change or implanting ideologies in someone's brain.**

**Fact #24: Eri's Photo**

**Eri's photo is a photo of sixteen of them stabbing Kioshi Sadao.**

**Fact #25: Photos**

**The photos revealed everyone to have killed someone. Almost all of their loved ones were the ones in the photos being murdered by them. The numbers assigned to the photos are as follows:**

**1 – Jitsunori Setsunosuke**

**2 – Takashiro Tanoshi**

**3 – Samuru Yagyuu**

**4 – Ayumu Watanabe**

**5 – Ichimako Watadzumi**

**6 – Jirou Katashi**

**7 – Nao Hisoka**

**8 – Norio Kurosawa**

**9 – Manon Aida**

**10 – Kayle Ito**

**11 – Asuka Kiyora**

**12 – Umeko Midori**

**13 – Rei Kurosawa**

**14 – Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz**

**15 – Eri Shizuka**

**16 – Hana Ongaku**

**2+15 – Takashiro and Eri**

**3+5 – Samuru and Mako**

**7+12 – Nao and Umeko**

**3+11 – Samuru and Asuka**

* * *

After a few seconds, Monokuma put out his gavel and shouted, "Shit is about to go down! This will be your last trial. If you lose, all of you will receive punishment. But, if you win, the killing game is over! Got that, twerps! Let's get the show on the road! Let's start the trial!"

Just like that, the group has started with their trial. Nao quickly took the lead. "There will be two parts of the trial. First is figuring out who killed Norio. The second part is figuring out the truth about this game." Nao paused for a second. _We can do this._ "Let's start with Norio's killer."

Takashiro asked, "How should we do that?"

Nao answered, "Let's go over first on Samuru's version on how he killed Norio. Hana, can you tell us what Samuru confessed?"

Hana answered, "Sure! Samuru said he chose to destroy Norio's statue by using a mallet instead of his ax to let off some steam. After that, he went to where Eri was staying and knocked on the door to get Norio out of the room. Once Norio went out, he knocked him out using the same mallet he used to destroy the statue. After that, he tied him up and carried him to the locker. There, he forced Norio to ingest a poison and hid him inside a locker. Once Norio was dead, he left and called it a night."

Then, Nao said, "There are certain parts that are obviously made up. We need to point out those and replace them with what truly happened to figure out who killed Norio."

Asuka replied, "If that is the case, where should we start? A lot of what he said were straight-up bullshit!"

Takashiro suggested, "Let's start with how the killer truly knocked Norio out. I think out of all of the lies he said, that one is the easiest to correct." Takashiro turned to Nao and said, "Am I wrong?"

Nao answered, "No, you are right. Let's start with that."

Hana began the conversation about it. She started with, "We know Norio was knocked out by being bashed in the head by something so hard that it cracked his head open. Samuru said it was a mallet. What was so wrong about it?"

Nao answered with a question, "When we found the mallet, what was its state?"

Hana answered, "It was only covered in crumbs of wax."

Nao turned to Asuka and Takashiro and asked, "What do you guys think is wrong about that?"

Out of the two, surprisingly, Asuka was the first to answer. "Well, I think the mallet should be bloody as well. When we found Norio, his wound was so big it is impossible that whatever hit it stayed as clean as the mallet. It should be bloody as fuck."

Nao replied, "That is correct. The mallet could have been a perfect choice for bashing someone's head but it was clear Norio's killer did not use that. But, clearly, the mallet was used in some way. What do you guys think?"

Quickly, Takashiro answered, "It might have been a lie that the mallet was used to bash Norio's head but I am pretty sure it was used to destroy Norio's statue."

Nao nodded, "Takashiro is right. The crumbs of wax on the mallet suggested it has been used to destroy something made out of wax. The only thing destroyed in this place that is made out of wax was Norio's statue."

After Nao was finished, Hana raised her hand and asked, "Now that we know the mallet was not used to knock out Norio and was only used to destroy a statue, I have two questions. What was used to bash Norio's head? And, why did the killer destroy the statue?"

Nao replied, "Let's answer the easier question. It is clear that the clump of wax, specifically the missing thumb of Norio's statue, that we found in the office was used to bash Norio's head."

Asuka added, "That makes total sense! When we found that shit, it was fucking covered with blood. That blood must have been from Norio's wound!"

Then, Takashiro added, "So, the killer bashed Norio's head with a hard chunk of wax and left it in the office. What a weird place to leave it!"

The group was about to start another conversation about it when Hana said, "We are going off track. Let's go back answering my second question. Why did the killer destroy the statue?" Nao was stumped with the question. _I don't know the answer to that. It felt so random. It really did not add anything to the murder. All the killer got is a new weapon to bash Norio's head with. To be honest, the killer could have just used the mallet but they did not. The killer must have a reason I don't know how to figure this one out._

Nao sighed and said, "I don't know the answer yet. The killer could have a million reasons to do it but we will not be able to say what it is for now. Let's just continue talking about Norio's case and go back to that question. Maybe then, we will have an answer." The group agreed.

Then, Takashiro asked, "What should we clear up next?"

Nao answered, "Let's talk about why Norio went out of the room. Hana, what did Samuru tell us about that?"

Hana answered, "He said that he knocked on the door. Because of that, Norio went out of the room to check who was knocking. That was when he bashed Norio's head."

Takashiro quickly added, "Of course, everything about that is a lie."

Nao asked, "How do you say so?"

Takashiro answered, "Well… Eri did tell us Norio went out of the room when they heard footsteps in the hallway. She never mentioned anything about someone knocking on the door. I think that already proves that Samuru was lying about that."

Nao agreed, "I agree with what Takashiro said. If someone knocked on their door, Eri would have definitely told us about that. All she said was Norio went out when they heard footsteps. Don't you guys find it weird? Why would Norio get out of the room just because of some random footsteps?"

Asuka commented, "Now that you put it that way, it is fucking weird to go out of the room because of footsteps. If I was Norio, I would have just stayed by Eri's side and protect her since she was vulnerable. If I leave her, some shit might happen to her. That is how I would think of it if I was Norio."

Nao added, "But Norio still left and we have a piece of evidence that shows the reason why Norio left."

Immediately, Hana answered, "Is it because of the last message Monokuma gave him, isn't it?"

Nao nodded. He continued, "According to that message, Norio found out someone was getting sick that night which was eventually revealed to be Eri. He was forced to guard Eri all alone and wait for footsteps. If he did not do it, one of us will get the punishment."

Asuka shouted, "That is so unfair! It was a trap. That was such a dick move!"

Takashiro added, "Basically, he was forced to play along with the killer's plan. He had no other option but to do it. Ultimately, he did it to save us from Monokuma's punishment."

Hana added, "He knew something bad was going to happen to him. He must have considered he was going to die. That is why he made the note to Nao. I wish we knew this. Maybe Norio would not have been killed."

Hesitantly, Nao added, "He probably had no intention of fighting back as well. He knew he was going to be in some sort of life-threatening situation. He could have brought something to defend himself but he did not. I think he was scared that Monokuma might do something to us if he fought back. In the end, he weighed our lives as more precious than his."

Suddenly, Asuka asked, "Why did Monokuma have to do that to Norio? I just don't get it."

Nao agreed. _During the previous trial, we kind of agreed that Norio was targeted because he knew too much. But, if that was truly the case, why did Monokuma only target him now unlike Rei? I am sure whatever Rei knew, Norio also knew about it. What is the difference between their cases? _Suddenly, Nao had an epiphany.

Nao shared, "I think Monokuma had two reasons to target Norio."

Hana asked, "What are Monokuma's reasons?"

Nao answered, "The first reason is that Norio, for some reason, found the key and the remote. Norio is dangerously smart and that is already, what I think is enough reason to be, a pain in the ass for Monokuma. With those two things, Norio could have dug something up to stop this game. That would make him more of a threat to Monokuma than he ever was."

Takashiro commented, "Are you saying Monokuma was afraid of what Norio can do with those two things?"

Nao simply nodded. He continued with his explanation saying, "The second reason is he must be sharing information with someone already. As you guys know, I found out Rei knew something about this game. Before she could share more with me, Monokuma made a way to get rid of her. I think that was also happening with Norio. Norio must have been sharing information with someone."

Before Nao could get to his point, Takashiro butted in saying, "He was sharing information with Eri!"

"I was about to say that. But, that is what I think happened. Eri and Norio had never been close. But, recently, those two have been closer than what we thought they were. Hana even teases them as friends." Nao explained.

Hana commented, "Are you saying that Monokuma targeted Norio as well because he was sharing info with Eri like Rei was sharing info with you? But, didn't we establish during the previous trial that Eri was targeted by Samuru because she also knew too much?"

Out of nowhere, Asuka answered as she fidgeted with her hands, "That is true but what if… I am just guessing here… what if Eri only knew so much to become a target because of Norio. Nao, does that make sense?"

"It does." Nao answered. _I did not expect that from Asuka._

Takashiro scratched his head as he asked, "If that is the case, why would Norio share so much to Eri? What made him spill?"

Nao did not have a clue as well. However, his gut his telling him something. "It is just a guess but it must have something to do with the jackpot photo. Both of them knew about it. It is obvious since the photo is one of the few things Norio left for us using Eri's help."

_This discussion is getting deeper but I think we are going off track. I probably must steer us back to the original direction of our discussion. _Nao took a deep breath. Then, he said, "Let's recap first of what we have discovered so far. Hana, will you please do it?"

Hana nodded. Then, she proceeded to summarize what they have talked about so far. "Norio found the remote for controlling the elevator and opening the two locked rooms on the fourth floor. Other than that, he was telling Eri too much. This made him a target by Monokuma. Monokuma knew Samuru was poisoning Eri so he used it to get rid of Norio. He was forced to guard Eri alone and go out of the quarantine once he heard footsteps outside. He did follow Monokuma's order which led to him being bashed by one of the broken pieces of his broken statue. Then, he was carried to the locker and was forced to ingest poison. This led to his death."

"I think that is what happened. We still have questions like why the killer destroyed Norio's statue but it feels like everything flows correctly. We could just ask the killer later why they did what they did once we figure out who it is." Takashiro commented.

_Takashiro is right. Right now, we have figured out how Norio's murder went down. The next question to answer is who killed Norio. We need to review everyone's alibi again. _Nao replied, "I agree with Takashiro. We already have most of the pieces together. The most important piece that we don't have yet is the identity of the killer. Let's discuss that now."

Immediately, Hana said, "Roxanne and I could not have killed Norio. We were together all the time last night. None of us had the time to do it."

Asuka added, "That is right! None of us could have fucking slip away and do the murder."

Then, Nao said, "Same with me and Takashiro. We did not stay together all night but Takashiro did stay in my room around the time Norio's death. Both of us can attest to each other's innocence."

Takashiro added, "I was with Norio last night making a puppet for Eri…"

Asuka scratched her head. She looked at everyone and said, "If that is the case, none of us could have fucking killed Norio. Then, who did it? During that time, Eri was as weak as shit. Obviously, we know it was not Samuru. But, we are the only ones left. This is so confusing."

_That is not true. _Nao turned to Asuka and said, "There is one more person left other than us."

Hana asked, "Who else is alive?"

Nao answered, "The one who has been controlling Monokuma and the mastermind of this whole entire killing game. "

"How do you say so?" Takashiro asked.

Nao cleared his throat. Then, he proceeded, "We know someone has been controlling Monokuma. We have found so many pieces of evidence that points that out. One of which is the whole room with the monitor. It had a bed and a comfort room. Someone must have been staying there this whole time. The other evidence is everything that is in the laptop. This whole time, someone has been editing a video of what has happened to us so far. There is also the case of Monokuma's message to Norio. Someone used the laptop to send that message."

Then, Nao paused and pointed his finger at Monokuma. "I find it hard to believe that an animatronic such as Monokuma can do all of that on its own."

Monokuma shouted, "How dare you belittle me in front of my face!"

Asuka sniggered and said, "I doubt those fat paws could even type one fucking word correctly."

Monokuma pointed his gavel at Asuka and shouted, "You piece of shit!"

Asuka was ready to start an argument with Monokuma when Takashiro cleared his throat and said, "Let's not waste time and go back to the trial."

Surprised, Asuka recomposed herself and said, "Sorry, let's continue."

Hana quickly asked, "If it is the mastermind, who is it?"

Takashiro answered with glee. He exclaimed, "It has to be Isamu Hiroshi! Isamu is supposed to be our 'classmate' but we have not seen him even his shadow. The reason that we have not seen him is that he has been hiding there this whole time!"

Hana nodded and said, "Takashiro has a point. Weirdly, he is our 'classmate' but he did not join this game."

Asuka pounded on her podium and shouted, "That dude is going to fucking pay for everything! I swear.

Nao sighed as he shook his head and said, "I knew Isamu would be everyone's first guess but I don't think it is him."

Then, Hana stood with her right arm akimbo and asked, "Then explain why he has been missing in action."

Nao nodded. Then, he continued, "Do you guys remember the files about the executions?"

Asuka raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about those files?"

Nao answered, "If you guys remember, according to those files, there were already six execution ideas that were used. But, how many executions have we ever seen?"

Takashiro gasped. Then, he answered, "We have only seen five executions! Kayle, Jirou, Manon, Umeko, and Samuru…"

Asuka was puzzled by this revelation. She quickly turned to Nao and asked, "Then, whose execution is the other one?"

Hana's jaw dropped as she was hit by a realization. "Don't tell me Nao you think Isamu was the other one executed?"

Nao nodded. Asuka shouted in confusion, "What? Why? Was there another trial I do not know about? How the fuck did Isamu end up being executed by that psycho bear?"

Nao answered, "I think it is obvious that whoever is controlling Monokuma is ruthless. They are willing to do anything to get this game going even if it means killing people."

Quickly, Takashiro asked, "But, didn't we find twelve bodies in the morgue? Based on the trials and the murders we've had so far, there should be twelve bodies? If Isamu was executed, shouldn't there be thirteen?"

Nao simply answered, "There should be thirteen bodies if thirteen people truly died."

Asuka replied, "Wait a minute! The way you said that… Are you saying someone is still alive?"

Nao nodded. Everyone was surprised by this. The room stopped. All of them, except for Nao, looked at the stands of all of their supposedly dead friends. Takashiro asked, "One of these twelve people did not die. Who is it?"

Nao took a deep breath. Then, he continued, "Let's eliminate all of the people who are obviously dead. Out of the twelve, we could already eliminate seven of them from our list."

"Who are they?" Hana asked.

"The victims of each case. All of us have checked their corpses every investigation. To fake their death is impossible to do. That means Ayumu, Rei, Jitsunori, Reyes, Mako, Eri, and Norio are truly dead. That leaves us with five options, the culprits." Nao answered.

Takashiro raised his hand and asked, "How are we so sure it is one of the culprits as well? We all saw them die."

Quickly, Nao responded, "Based on Samuru's reaction during his execution, I think he was expecting he will be spared somehow. He was confident going into the execution. Because of that, it led me to believe that there is a way to fake the execution."

Asuka scratched her head and said, "Fake an execution?"

Nao nodded. "Yes. Now, let's identify the identity of our mastermind. We found a lot of things that could help us uncover this mystery. Let's start with the missing body. We all know by now that there should have been thirteen but there were only twelve. If we read the reports properly, it will be clear who is missing."

Everyone took out their tablet and looked at the reports. Asuka scratched her head and said, "Sorry! I still don't have an idea." Nao turned to the other two. It was clear they were not able to get it as well.

"It's alright. It has been so long that you guys might not remember how each execution went down." Nao assured the group.

"I try to erase from my mind the executions. They were too gruesome for me." Takashiro added.

Nao continued, "There is also the case of the device connected to the CCTV system. The device's name is 'Tablet 006'. I think every tablet is named from numbers one to sixteen. This is also the case for the photos from Monokumaland. Each solo photos were numbered from one to sixteen. I noticed that the number of our photos is the same as the number of our devices."

Takashiro looked into this. He checked the number of his device and the number of his photo. "It is the same! If that is the case, who is in photo #6?"

Everyone checked who it was. Hana gasped as she was shocked to see who it was. "No way! It can't be? But, how?"

Asuka suddenly understood who it was. "That motherfucking dickhead!"

Takashiro slowly said, "It's… Jirou… Nao, are you saying Jirou Katashi is the mastermind of this killing game?"

Nao nodded. "Yes, I think the answer is him. If you think about it, it does make sense. We found out literature about the tragedy years ago, which included Monokuma, is banned. There was no way for anyone to know what Jirou knows about Monokuma. But still, Jirou knew Monokuma and that psychopathic bear's accomplishments."

Hana added, "Now that you mentioned it, it was weird Jirou knew so much when everyone had no idea what was happening during the first day. He must have known a lot about it because he helped in making this game."

Then, Asuka angrily added, "We did not question it before because we thought he was just that smart."

Quickly, Takashiro added, "Not just that, during Rei's trial, Monokuma revealed that he wanted to become the ultimate scholar. Because of that, we just naturally assumed that he knows what he knows because he studied it."

Hana raised her hand and asked, "But, we did see him die, didn't we? How did he fake his execution?"

Nao smiled and answered, "Did we really see him die?"

Asuka furrowed his eyebrows and said, "What do you mean by that?"

Nao answered, "If we recall his execution, the last thing we saw was a close up of his neck. Then, the bear trap around his neck closed. After a few seconds, we saw blood dripping down his neck. All we did was assume that his head was crushed but we never really saw his head get crushed by the bear trap, didn't we?"

Hana replied, "That is right. The screen just went blank. We never saw his crushed head or his body fall to the ground after the bear trap shut."

Takashiro said, "If that is the case, then it really means Jirou is still alive. He has been hiding from us all this time. How was he able to do that?"

Nao answered, "He does have the CCTV system in his tablet. He could have used it to easily maneuver around the building without getting caught."

Asuka asked, "Does this mean we have solved Norio's murder?"

Nao nodded. "I think it is time to properly close the case of both Eri and Norio's murder."

* * *

**Eri Shizuka and Norio Kurosawa's Murder**

Eri and Norio had two different killers who were helping each other. Norio's killer told Eri's killer to target her. Eri's killer started preparing for Eri's murder three days before the picnic. They started making Poison QZ and Antidote QZ in the chemical laboratory. To make sure no one will find out about their plan, Eri's killer made it look like the chemical laboratory and the chemical storage room were out of order by using yellow tape.

While preparing the poison, the group decided to have a picnic. Eri's killer took this opportunity to commence their plan in killing Eri. They mixed the poison in the yeast and the antidote in the coffee.

During that time of preparation, Norio's killer found out about Norio sharing information to Eri and saw him find the key of the two locked rooms on the fourth floor and the remote that controls the elevator to the basement. This made Norio's killer make their move.

Norio's killer has been controlling Monokuma. Using Monokuma, they sent a message to Norio about someone being poisoned during the picnic. He was forced to guard whoever was going to be poisoned and anticipate for footsteps in the hallway all night long so that none of us was going to be punished by Monokuma.

The picnic came and Eri was poisoned. We took her to the quarantine room. Norio forced his way to become Eri's bodyguard for that night. During that night, Norio's killer used a mallet to destroy Norio's statue and picked a huge clump of wax. After that, they went to the quarantine room where the two were staying.

Norio heard the killer's footsteps and went out of the room just as he was instructed. He was immediately greeted by a bash in the head using the clump of wax. It incapacitated him and gave him a huge wound on his head. He was tied up and carried to the locker. There, he was forced to ingest Poison K and immediately died. The killer left the mallet in the arts room while the clump of wax in the office. They did not kill Eri because she was not their target.

The next day we found out Norio was missing. Eri's killer took that time to kill her by suffocating her with a pillow. The only person who could have killed Eri was the deranged Samuru Yagyuu, Ultimate Executioner.

And, the only person who could have killed Norio is the one who has been controlling Monokuma; the person whom we thought has died but has only been hiding from us; and the one who has tablet 006. The killer of Norio Kurosawa and the person who created this game with the help of Samuru is Jirou Katashi, the Ultimate Mathematician!

* * *

Monokuma chuckled. Then, he said, "Is that really your answer?"

Nao only eyed at Monokuma. Then, he looked for the nearest camera which was the one in the corner. He walked towards it and said, "Jirou, we know you are alive. It is time to reveal yourself as the mastermind of this game."

Nao walked back to his podium. After a few seconds, the door of the courtroom, which was directly behind Nao, suddenly opened. Nao turned around and saw Jirou Katashi standing at the other side of the door glaring at them.

* * *

**OMG! That is the third to the last part of this story!**

**What do you guys think? Was your guess right? Why do you guys think this killing game started?**

**I know the story is about to end soon but if you want to talk about this fanfic, you can always join the discord server for this story. The link is on my profile.**

**That is it for now!**

**Good luck to all of us!**


	48. Our Truth 4

**I cannot believe we are down to the last two updates of this story! I hope you will enjoy reading this!**

* * *

The room fell into silence. Their jaws dropped and some of them had their hands cover their open mouth. They could not do anything but stare at the person behind the killing game and the murders of Rei Kurosawa and Norio Kurosawa. All they could do was look at Jirou glaring at them.

Jirou was glaring at them. He had his right arm akimbo and his left hand holding his tablet. He surveyed the tense room. After a few seconds, he started walking towards them. Every step he took echoed through the quiet room. None of them were still able to comment. He stopped at his podium. He kicked away the photo that was standing by his podium and replaced it with himself.

Hana, whose podium was beside Jirou's, took a step back away from Jirou. Jirou did not do much other than intensely staring at the startled Hana. That was all it took for Hana to shake in fear and run towards Nao.

Finally, after a few seconds, Monokuma broke the silence. He gave a fake gasp and said, "How could this be? I thought I have executed you. You should be dead by now. How are you alive?"

That was when Jirou finally stopped glaring at them and looked at Monokuma. His lips formed into a smile. Then, he rolled his eyes as he shook his head. He held out his tablet and pressed something on it. Suddenly, Monokuma's eyes glowed for ten seconds. Then, Monokuma finally went back to normal.

Monokuma said, "Welcome back, Jirou! I missed your smugness! It brought something special to the trials!"

Jirou finally spoke and said, "Whatever! Nothing you say matters at this point."

Then, Monokuma shouted, "Hey, I have feelings too!"

Jirou menacingly stared at Monokuma and replied, "Just shut up! There is no need for you anymore. I have been revealed."

With just one look, Monokuma stopped. He recomposed himself and looked at the others. "Don't just stand there! Continue the trial, twerps!"

With those words, Nao snapped back to reality. Nao took a deep breath and said, "We were right. I cannot believe it is you. You are still alive and you have been hiding from us."

Jirou replied, "And because a N.E.E.T. like you solved Norio's case, I had to reveal myself. I cannot believe out of all possible people to figure out my secret that you are the one to do it, a fucking N.E.E.T. This is the most ironic thing to ever happen to me. The type of person I hate the most is the one to get to me."

"You underestimated me and it bit you in the ass." Nao did not mince his words.

Jirou sniggered and said, "Don't act so confident! It is not like you have already won the trial. You just solved one small detail of a bigger mystery."

Immediately, Nao replied, "Same to you. You have been ratted out as the mastermind and you are still as arrogant as ever. Get off your high horse. You are not as great as you believe you are."

After that, the two intently stared at each other. Neither one of them was willing to back down. The other three students could not do anything but watch. Jirou's smugness and Nao's firmness filled the room with so much tension that the room grew so quiet that you can hear a pin drop.

After a few minutes of hair-raising silence, Jirou broke off the staring and looked to his left where Hana's podium was. It was empty since Hana ran over to Nao. He cleared his throat and said, "We should continue the trial. I am interested to see how this will end." Then, he patted Hana's podium, looked at Hana, and said, "Come back here. Isn't this where you should be standing right now?"

Hana replied, "I don't feel safe standing there beside you."

Jirou sniggered and rolled his eyes. Menacingly, he looked straight into Hana's eyes and said, "If I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead by now. What makes you think I am interested in having you dead?"

Hana took a deep breath. She put her arms around her as she walked slowly towards her podium. Her steps echoed through the room as everyone watched her walk towards Jirou. Eventually, she was standing beside Jirou. As much as she could, she tried to avoid looking at Jirou. All she did was look at everyone with her eyes begging for help.

"Honestly, I did not think you would survive this long." Jirou commented.

Suddenly, Nao said, "That is similar to what Monokuma said to us during the last trial. Who did you expect to survive this long?"

Jirou smiled and had his left arm akimbo. Then, he answered, "Truthfully speaking, I expected Eri, Jitsunori, Kayle, Manon, and Umeko to survive longer than all of you. Unfortunately, three of them were willing to kill, one was unlucky to get caught up in a murder, and the other one became Norio's lackey."

"You thought all of us left are going to die?" Nao asked.

"Weren't you listening? Basically, that is what I said. I thought Asuka would probably get on everyone's nerves and get killed. Takashiro is weak. He is an easy target. I was hoping Hana would kill when I revealed the third motive. And you, I was saving the second motive just for you. I thought that would really make you willing to become a victim even if it was not Umeko who will kill you. But lucky for you, Rei blabbered and I had to get rid of her." Jirou answered. He did not mince his words. Every word hit all of them like a bullet. _He has something personal against me. He wanted me dead by the second trial._

Out of nowhere, Asuka shouted, "Whatever! We are still fucking breathing and these people you take as nothing but shit will be the ones to take you down. Once we win this trial and you lose, you bet your sorry ass you will be frigging sorry to underestimate us! Just watch us fucking tear you to pieces in this trial."

Asuka's speech lifted everyone's fighting spirit. _Thank you Asuka for that! That is exactly what everyone needed to hear right now. _

"Thanks Roxanne for that! That was really nice to hear!" Nao said.

Asuka put her thumbs up and said, "No problem!"

Nao recomposed himself. Then, he turned to Jirou and said, "You killed Rei and Norio because they were leaking information to other people. I was just wondering why you did not eliminate them before the game. Obviously, you are capable of doing that. You killed Isamu, why not Rei and Norio as well?"

Jirou answered, "I knew they would not willingly share the info. Rei is reclusive while Norio is too independent. Unfortunately for Rei and Norio, two people found out about it accidentally. You saw her notebook while Eri overheard Norio talking to himself."

Takashiro asked, "Eri overheard Norio? Was that the only reason why she knew so much?"

Jirou answered, "Don't be an idiot. Once the cat was out of the bag, Norio let in Eri on other information. If only those two did not continue to talk to each other, Samuru and I would not have killed both of them."

Then, Nao asked, "Was your story about your family real?"

Jirou answered, "Of course, it was real. But, I am not affected by it. I am not that shallow. I don't care if my parents don't give me as much attention as my brother. I don't need them to take care of myself."

Asuka mumbled, "But, it definitely made you a complete nutjob. You are a classic result of bad parenting."

Jirou chuckled hearing Asuka's comment. He looked at Nao and said, "Why don't you guys stop prying on me and start talking about this game."

_He is right. The case is not about what went wrong in his life. We need to find out the truth behind this game. How should we tackle this? _Eventually, Nao had an idea. He cleared his throat. Then, he started speaking, "Let's talk about why we cannot remember a lot of things. Clearly, there is a gap in our memories between what we were doing before we came here and when we woke up in here."

Everyone agreed. After that, Nao continued, "Do you guys remember what you were doing before you found yourself in here?"

Hana was the first to answer. "I was in front of the gates of Hope's Peak Academy."

Then, Asuka raised her hand and shouted, "Same here! I was going to take my first step in the academy. Then, shit went crazy. After that, I ended up in this shitshow!"

Takashiro added, "Just like the girls, everything went bonkers after I took a step inside Hope's Peak Academy."

After the three, Nao told them what he last remembered. "I think this has been brought up before but, out of everyone, I have the only different experience. I was talking to a man who was telling me I have been selected as the Ultimate N.E.E.T."

Takashiro commented, "That is weird! Why was yours so different?"

Then, Nao smiled and said, "I think I know why. Our memories must have been erased to the same certain extent. I am guessing our memories of everything starting from the day we remember up to the day before we found ourselves stuck here have been erased. The last thing all of us remember happened in one day. All of you guys went to Hope's Peak on the same day while I was being persuaded to attend Hope's Peak Academy."

After that, Asuka scratched her head and asked, "That makes total sense but how were our memories erased?"

Takashiro giggled. Then, he answered, "Roxanne, it is the pods. Do you not remember what it can do?"

Asuka's jaw dropped and said, "Oh, right! I forgot about that one! It can erase memories!"

Then, Nao continued, "Takashiro is right. The pods were used to erase our memories. That is the only logical reason for the loss of our memories. I am guessing Jirou and Samuru put us all in the pods and erased our memories. And, if we think about it, we saw two pods malfunctioned, pods #8 and #13. Do you guys remember which of us corresponds to those numbers?"

Quickly, Hana answered, "Based on the photos, Norio was 8 while Rei was 13."

Nao replied, "Norio and Rei probably remember so much because their pods malfunctioned."

Takashiro commented, "That sounds right!"

Out of nowhere, Jirou sniggered. Asuka was infuriated by this. She slammed her hands on her podium and shouted, "What the fuck are you laughing at, punk? Wanna get pummeled by me? You might be smart but you are surely hella weak!"

Then, Jirou replied, "There is no need for your brute violence, Baby Metal."

Asuka grunted.

Jirou continued, "Well, you still did not answer the question of why Nao's memories were different. All you did solve was that your memories were erased at the same certain extent and why Norio and Rei remembered a lot."

Nao replied, "I was getting to that. Why are you always rushing?"

Jirou raised his brow and crossed his arms as he looked at Nao and waited for his answer.

Nao continued, "While we were looking through the files in the office, I found a recruitment report on me."

Everyone was perplexed by this. Hana furrowed her brows and asked, "What is this recruitment report about? And, where did you find it?"

Nao answered, "I found it while we were looking through the office. I thought it would not be that important but I was wrong."

Takashiro asked, "So, what did it say?"

Nao continued, "It said that Kioshi Sadao wanted to recruit me to be part of some sort of project. For some reason, I was the perfect candidate based on my records. And, I only got my title because they needed me to attend this school to take part in the project."

Immediately, Takashiro cut him off. "You are not a real ultimate?"

Nao nodded. He continued saying, "It does make sense. I don't have any talent at all. I just slack off. And, to be honest, I am not a N.E.E.T. by definition. A N.E.E.T. does not go to school but I still do. I just skip classes. It said that my title was 'believable enough' because of my lifestyle. Plus, why would a prestigious school like Hope's Peak be interested in honing the skill of a N.E.E.T.? They don't have any real positive impact on society."

Smugly, Jirou interrupted Nao. "So, you are just a normal, run-of-the-mill, average person…"

Quickly, Nao replied, "I would not say that I am just an ordinary guy. To Sadao, I had something so special that he had to convince the board of directors of this school to give me a title. A renowned neuroscientist like him would not do something like for just any guy."

Annoyed, Jirou raised his right eyebrow and asked, "What do you have that makes you special then?"

Nao nonchalantly answered, "I don't know but I bet you did not have it because he did not consider you for my position."

Jirou rolled his eyes. Asuka commented, "Ooohhhh! That was savage! That must have hurt his ego!" _I'm sure it did._

Nao cleared his throat and said, "Let's go back to the topic. My point was it said in the reports that while I was just being told of my title, the other participants have already arrived at Hope's Peak Academy and have been briefed for the project. On the other hand, it took me a while to get on board with the project. That is the reason why I did not have the same experience as you guys had."

Hana replied with her right hand on her chin, "You were just being told of your title while we already knew our titles and were about to enter the school."

Nao nodded.

Then, Hana continued with a question. "You kept on saying some sort of project and participants. Is it safe to assume the other participants of the project are all of us?"

Nao nodded. "That is actually my next point. It said in the report they wanted me to be part of a project and was assigned as No. 7, just like the number of my tablet and my photo. I do not think that is a coincidence. All of us have been numbered from 1 to 16. And, there were sixteen pods here that were also numbered from 1 to 16. I think the origin of the assignment of those numbers is from the project that all of us have taken part in."

Jirou sniggered and sarcastically said, "Congrats for solving one of the problems with the most obvious answer. Now that all of you have figured out that you were part of a project, what was the project? Try solving that."

Quickly, Hana answered, "The answer to that is obvious as well, isn't it Nao?"

Nao nodded. "It is. Would you mind answering it for us?"

Smugly, Hana shook her head and proceeded. "There were so many files in this building but most of them are connected to one project, Project: Remnants Of Hope. Almost all of the reports were about the project and the subjects, which I'm guessing were us. Even though I could not understand most of the reports, it was clear to me they were all connected to that project proposal we found." Hana turned to Nao and asked, "Am I right?"

Nao nodded. "I agree with you. I don't think we even saw project proposals other than that. We even found the project proposal in the room where the pods are. We are sure the pods have some connection with us and a project. I think that in itself speaks a lot about what the project we took part in."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Then, Takashiro asked, "If we agree with what the project is, let's talk about that project. What was the project all about?"

Nao took out his tablet and said, "According to a fact about the project we found, the project aimed to create a group of students called Remnants of Hope who will uphold the ideals that will prevent another tragedy from happening by influencing the public. Basically, we were the Remnants of Hope who were supposed to be some sort of role models to the public."

Asuka asked, "What were the ideals? Is it like love, faith, or some shit like that?"

Jirou chuckled and commented, "Are you trying to recite what it takes to be a magical girl?"

Asuka raised her left fist and shouted, "Shut it or this fist will land on your face!"

Jirou acted as if he zipped his lips. Then, he motioned his hands to say "continue".

Takashiro added to Asuka's question. "I am curious about that as well. For this project to have worked, they should have been able to pinpoint those ideals. What could they be?"

Immediately, Nao answered, "I think we already found those ideals."

Asuka asked, "Really? When?"

Nao answered, "When we were looking through the office, we found it. I think it was the seven pillars of hope. Kioshi Sadao, the head of the project, created it. And, the file we found it in had a note from himself basically saying it should be the guiding principles of the remnants of hope."

After that, Takashiro read the seven pillars. "Humility, integrity, stewardship, discipline, courage, passion, and perseverance. These are the ideals we were supposed to uphold."

Asuka quickly chuckled and said, "Humility? Bitch, please! I am no humble queen. And, integrity was definitely not part of my lifestyle as a rocker chick."

Takashiro added, "I don't think I am courageous enough for the role. How did I become a role model for that certain trait?"

Hana commented, "Not everyone had all of these characteristics. How were they expecting us to become role models knowing that fact?"

Everyone paused. The room grew silent. Hana's question was engraved into their minds. Everyone thought about it carefully. _Hana has a point. How can all of us be role models for those ideals if not everyone has them. Certainly, back then, I neither had discipline nor perseverance. I feel like we are forgetting about something._

Looking at everyone, Jirou sniggered with his arms crossed. Mockingly, he said, "It seems like everyone is stumped on such simple matter. If you can't solve this right away, I wonder if you have what it takes to win this trial."

_We don't need this condescending tone from Jirou right now. Just block him out Nao and think properly. What we know so far is that we are participants of a project by Kioshi Sadao. The project had sixteen participants which were us. The project was proposed and made in this school. This school is no ordinary school. It has so many facilities that no other schools have. One of these facilities is the room with the pods._

Suddenly, Nao shouted, "I got it!"

Jirou rolled his eyes after hearing this. Then, Hana asked, "What is it?"

Nao answered, "We know that we are part of a project Kioshi Sadao made and that project was conducted here. We also know that this school has some weird tools no school should have like the pods. I believe the pods were used to turn us into a perfect role model."

Quickly, Takashiro replied with a question. "But, how?"

Nao answered, "Do you guys remember what the pods can do?"

Immediately, Asuka answered, "It can copy, show, and erase memories, right? Did I forget something?"

Nao smiled. Then, he continued, "What Asuka said were the three basic commands the pods can do. But, we forgot that it can also be used in other ways."

Asuka was growing impatient. "Stop doing that. Don't beat around the bush. Just spill it already!"

Nao continued, "When we were reading the manual of those pods, we saw it can use a certain algorithm. We forgot that the pod can use the 'Sadao's Algorithm'."

Takashiro exclaimed, "We did saw that in the manual! But, what does it exactly do again? When we tried to activate it, it did not work."

Unexpectedly, Asuka replied, "But didn't we read about it in the library? Was I just dreaming about that?"

Hana answered, "No, you weren't. We definitely read about it in the library. Honestly, I am surprised you remembered that."

Asuka pointed at herself and shouted, "Me too!"

Nao continued, "Just like what Roxanne said, we read about it in the library. Even though we did not see how it works firsthand, we still have an idea of how it works. Hana, can you tell us what we read about it?"

Hana nodded and said, "Sure! We found out from reading the article about Kioshi Sadao that the algorithm works by passing a principle through assessing a person's memories. Mainly, it works in two ways. One is that it can show a memory that can influence a person to change or it can forcefully implant the principle against the person's will."

Asuka commented, "So, we became role models because of that? If that is how it works, which method was used? Were we forced to change? I don't get it."

_Asuka has a point. Even though we know the algorithm was used on us, we still don't know how it totally changed us. I need to think about this carefully. _The group paused as they try to come up with an answer.

_The option was between forcing change and influencing change. Sadao could have opted to use either one based on what he thinks is right. I need to think like how he thinks. But, how could I even do that? I barely remember the guy. I should just try and guess his personality based on what we have found so far. According to the recruitment reports, he personally approached me to convince me to join the project and persuaded me to change my decision countless times. He also wrote the seven pillars which included discipline. And, the memory I saw when I used the pod was his. Before it ended, he said something interesting. I think I just found the answer._

Nao furrowed his brows as he crossed his arms. "I think I have the answer."

Jirou smirked and said, "Really? You don't look like you are sure about it."

Nao did not pay him any attention and continued, "Based on the memory saved in the pods and the principles he made, I think Kioshi Sadao chose to influence us rather than force us to change."

Asuka asked, "How do you say that?"

Nao answered, "In the memory I saw earlier when we used the pod, I found out it was Sadao's memory. Before it ended, he kept saying about influencing people. When we read the seven pillars of hope that he made, we saw under 'discipline' that he only wanted us to influence people. If he truly wanted to change people to achieve his goal, he could have simply hooked everyone to his machine and change them by force, but he didn't. I think he is so fixated in the idea of influencing people that he would only choose to influence us"

Then, Nao turned to Jirou and asked, "Am I right?"

Jirou did not respond.

Asuka asked, "So, if he chose to influence us, what memory did he show us?"

Hesitantly, Nao answered, "I am going to take a shot in the dark but I think it is the memory I saw earlier using the pod. Honestly, I don't think it really matters since we know the algorithm worked on us. Whatever the memory was, it did its job of influencing us to change ourselves into role models."

Takashiro asked, "How are we so sure we became role models?"

Hana answered, "We did see an article written about us. We were being praised for our actions. I think that speaks a lot about our achievement as role models."

Nao nodded and added, "The first article we found detailed every good deed we did. We did so well that we became so popular that we were interviewed on live television. Hope's Peak Academy was proud of us. Everyone was happy with what we did."

Suddenly, Jirou interrupted. "But, that was not the only article you found."

Nao nodded. _We found two articles, one was pouring with praises while the other one was filled with criticism. The first article was about how good we are while the second one basically described us as terrorists._

"Based on the second article we found, we changed so much. We became tyrants by forcing everyone to follow our morals. We held public executions of those who were against us." Nao said.

Alarmed by this, Hana shouted, "That can't be true! That must have been a lie Jirou made!"

Everyone looked at Jirou who covered his mouth as he yawned. Eventually, he spoke up saying, "What do you think is true? What is your proof that it was all just a lie?"

Hana countered, "I could never kill anyone! Plus, killing people was obviously against the guiding principles that were instilled in us. And, it could be just an exaggerated article."

Jirou immediately replied, "An exaggerated report by the school paper of Hope's Peak Academy, a school paper run by the ultimate editor-in-chief, investigative journalist, copyreader, etc.? Why would such talented people do such a thing?"

Hana was silenced. Nao did not want to agree with Jirou but he was saying the truth. He knew it was the truth. _There is so much evidence that tells me we really became awful dictators. I don't want to believe it but it is the truth. _

Nao broke the silence and said, "I believe the article was real."

Hana exclaimed, "You believe we murdered innocent people?"

Hesitantly, Nao nodded. "I don't want to believe it as well but the evidence is just too much to deny it."

Hana asked, "What is your evidence?"

Nao replied, "I think the photos that we won from Monokumaland were photos taken when we were doing a public execution. Since it was a public execution, anyone was free to take photos. I think that is the reason why those photos existed."

"Wait a minute! So, Manon killed her sister? I can't imagine she would do that to her sister. Mako, Reyes, and Samuru really did kill Umeko's parents? I am pretty sure Umeko would not just stand there and watch her parents killed without doing anything." Asuka said.

Nao replied, "I think we publicly executed anyone who was against us including Kioshi Sadao and even those whom we considered as our loved ones who stood against us."

Immediately, Hana shouted, "I don't believe that! Who would be in their right mind to kill their sister and watch their parents get executed?"

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Nao's mind. "We weren't in their right minds. None of us were."

Everyone was puzzled by this. Takashiro asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Nao simply replied, "I think we were forced to change."

"Forced to change?" Asuka asked.

Nao nodded and continued, "We know the Sadao's Algorithm can inspire people to change but we also know it can forcefully implant new ideologies in a person's mind. When we were trying to activate it, we were instructed to copy the code for the seven pillars of hope to activate it. What if someone used another code and chose to forcefully change us instead?"

Everyone was mind-blown. Takashiro quickly asked, "If that is the case, what code did they use to change us and who did it?"

Nao answered, "Didn't we find a code stored in a red flashdrive?"

Hana nodded. Then, she added, "It had terms like tyranny and merciless."

Immediately, Asuka shouted, "Oh shit! Was that the code used on us?"

Nao nodded. "We became radicals because of that."

After that, Takashiro raised a concern, "The question now is who changed the code and how did they manage to pull it off?"

_That is now the next thing we should focus on. I think we were able to find something to answer the first question. For the second question, I am not sure how we are going to answer it but I think we can squeeze it out of Jirou._

Nao cleared his throat. Then, he proceeded, "We found a report in the office that Kioshi Sadao wrote. It told us that he had suspicions that someone has infiltrated his project. I think that person is responsible for turning us into radicals."

He paused and looked at Jirou who was watching the trial with amusement. Nao continued, "And, I think Jirou is the one Kioshi was referring to."

Everyone looked at Jirou who was not attentively listening.

Nao continued, "You were the one who infiltrated the project and turned everything for the worse, weren't you?"

Jirou answered, "I wouldn't use the word infiltrate. I did not sneak into the project to gain information or anything. All I did was give the project an upgrade."

Quickly, Hana asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Jirou answered, "I joined the project wholeheartedly. I did not have any qualms about it nor a hidden agenda for joining. I was already part of the group when I decided to push it further to get a better result."

Without missing a second, Asuka continued to ask, "How the fuck did you exactly do it then?"

Jirou answered, "All I did was wait for our monthly appointment with the pods. Then, that was when I had the new code uploaded to our brain. It was not that difficult."

Immediately, Takashiro added, "You were the one responsible for turning us into monsters! Bragging how easy it was is disgusting! You are probably the reason why we are stuck in here!"

Suddenly, Jirou chuckled and looked at Takashiro and asked, "Do you really think I chose to be stuck in here? Why would I want to be stuck in this freaking building?"

Takashiro stuttered, "W-W-Well… I don't know but I am pretty sure you are responsible for this, right?"

Everyone paused hearing Jirou's statement. _Jirou is not responsible for us being stuck in here. If he wanted us to continue doing what we were doing, he would not lock us up here. I already know why but I don't have the heart to tell everyone._

Jirou looked at the troubled Nao. He sniggered and said, "I am sure your de facto leader already knows why all of us are stuck in here."

Because of that, everyone turned to Nao for an explanation. Hana asked, "What is he talking about?"

Nao looked at everyone. Then, he took a deep breath before continuing. "We are not stuck in here because of Jirou. We all did this to ourselves."

Asuka furrowed her brows and asked, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Nao answered, "Do you remember the video we watched in the office?"

Everyone nodded.

Nao continued, "We took a vow of isolation. We were not to go anywhere near society. I think when we did that, we were promising to stay locked up in a place. And, I think this is the place."

Hana shouted, "What?"

Nao continued, "I think we surrendered for what we did as tyrants. Naturally, we had to pay for our crimes and I think it meant being imprisoned in this place."

Asuka asked, "If this is a prison, why are we roaming around this place as if it is just our home?"

Nao answered, "Because the prison warden assigned to us is dead. If you guys remember the contract between Isamu and the government, it said that Isamu had to guard prisoners. I think we are the prisoners that contract was about. If Isamu was alive, I don't think we would be able to roam around freely."

Nao paused. Then, he turned to Jirou and said, "You eliminated Isamu so that you could do this game, didn't you?"

Jirou nodded, "That is right. Having Isamu is troublesome. I had to do what I had to do."

Suddenly, Hana said with a paled face, "That means, even if we end this game, we will still be stuck in this place."

Nao answered, "Sadly, yes. We have to pay for our crimes."

Takashiro mumbled, "We are never getting out of here then."

Asuka added, "We have to live the rest of our lives here together."

The room grew sullen. _After seeing the video, I knew our fates were sealed. I thought I could bear the idea of it but hearing it out loud, especially coming from Jirou, is making my heartache. I feel like I can't breathe. _Nao could only look at his podium. He cannot bear to see everyone's pained expressions.

Jirou laughed as he watched everyone realize their fates. Jirou laughed hysterically as he pointed at everyone. "All of you look so hopeless! You have been fighting so much to get your freedom back only to find out you will never be truly free. All you will ever be able to do is roam around this place for eternity!"

Jirou paused and recomposed himself. He fixed his tie. Then, he continued, "If you want freedom, join my cause. Together, let's fix this damn world!"

After a few moments of silence, Nao looked at Jirou. Then, Jirou reached out his hands and said, "What do you say?"

* * *

**That is it! Ahhhhh! I cannot believe there is only one update left to write for this story!**

**What do you guys think will happen?**

**If you want to talk about this story, it is never too late to join the discord server for this story! The link is on my profile!**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this!**

**Good luck to all of us and stay safe!**


	49. Our Truth 5

**This is the last part of chapter 6! I cannot believe it you guys!**

* * *

The room grew quiet as everyone was hit with the harsh truth that, no matter how the trial will end, they will never be able to get out of the building. They will never be able to go back to their old life, the life they only know and remember.

Jirou stretched out his arms and offered them a way out. "If you want freedom, join my cause! Together, let's fix this damn world!"

Nao could only look at Jirou as Jirou continued. "What do you say?"

_I will never be able to walk around the park. I will never be able to play in the arcade again. I will never be able to eat in restaurants. I will never be able to watch movies in cinemas filled with so many people. I will never be able to do the things I used to do. I… I… I will never be able to see my dad again. _Nao's memories of his father filled his mind. Everything was becoming too much for him. Inevitably, tears streamed down his cheeks.

Jirou once again asked, "Will you join me?"

Nao glared at Jirou. He clenched his fists as he stared at Jirou. Jirou was not bothered by Nao's stance. Nonchalantly, he said, "Should I take everyone's silence as a yes?"

Immediately, Nao shouted, "No!"

Jirou raised his right eyebrow and asked, "No?"

Nao nodded. "I committed so many atrocities. I don't remember any of it but, from what we have gathered, I know I killed people. I have taken so many innocent lives. I helped in dividing the nation. It is not easy for me to own up to those mistakes because I cannot remember any of them. I am having a hard time accepting the fact that I have to stay locked up in this building for something I don't recall doing. But, I would rather stay in here than join the person who is responsible for my tragic fate."

Jirou was dumbfounded by Nao's response. Quickly, he defended himself. "I am not the one who took the oath of isolation for you. You were the one who promised to stay here. Everyone did this to themselves!"

Immediately, Nao retorted, "We took that oath because of the things we did when you messed with our minds! If you have not tinkered with the code, we would not turn into such monsters! You are the one who turned us into tyrants! You are the one who made us lead the nastiest insurgence in human history!"

Jirou smirked as he listened to Nao. Then, he turned to Hana who was standing beside him. He reached out his hand and asked, "What about you?"

Immediately, Hana slapped Jirou's hand. She pointed her right index finger at his face and said, "You are the one to blame for all of this! You made me kill people that I will never remember!"

Jirou shook his head. Then, he looked at Asuka who's nails were digging into the podium. Without any word from Jirou, she grunted, "Hell no! Fuck off!"

He simply laughed it off and replied, "I wasn't expecting your cooperation anyway." After that, he turned to Takashiro and asked, "What about our puppeteer? Do you want to be one of the puppeteers of my grand scheme?"

Takashiro instantly replied, "I am not a puppeteer! I am a ventriloquist! I will never take part in your heinous scheme, whatever that is!"

Jirou sniggered and said, "I guess we still have to continue with the trial. I was really hoping all of you would join me but I guess I asked you too early."

Nao commented, "No matter how or when you will ask us to join you, the answer will always be no!"

Jirou had his left arm akimbo and replied, "Are you sure about that? We haven't even talked about the purpose of this game and what my true agenda is."

Nao nodded and said, "If that is the case, let's talk about it. For the past few hours, we have uncovered the identity of the murderer of Norio Kurosawa and the mastermind of this game, Jirou Katashi. And, we have talked about what happened to us before this game started. Let's talk about why this game exists."

Jirou teasingly, "Let's see if you will be able to this one as well."

Everyone ignored Jirou's presence and continued with the trial. Takashiro asked, "Our main question is why Jirou created this game."

Hana commented, "I am not really sure how we are going to answer that one but I have faith in all of us! We can do this!"

Everyone nodded. Then, Asuka said, "Why don't we make it a simpler question? What is he planning to do with this game? Let's turn the 'why' into a 'what'! Does that make sense? I guess I am just rambling shit again."

Nao said, "No, I understand what you are trying to say. Let's think about this in a more literal sense." Everyone was following his lead.

Nao continued. "Jirou has been using the surveillance cameras for this game. Clearly, he had been monitoring us every time even before he was executed right in front of our eyes."

Hana nodded and said, "When he was still with us, he had his tablet which was connected to the CCTV system."

Takashiro added, "He could see everything we were doing anywhere."

Then, Asuka asked, "So what? Isn't that the use of surveillance cameras? To survey?"

Nao smiled at Asuka's question. Then, he answered, "What if he was not using it just for that?"

Hana asked, "What are you trying to say Nao?"

Nao cleared his throat and continued. "Think about this creatively. The CCTV system uses cameras. Other than using it as eyes in every room in this building, what else can the cameras be used for?"

Suddenly, Asuka gasped as if she figured out something. Then, she scratched her head as she said, "It can freaking record everything! Whatever it catches can be saved!"

Nao shouted, "That is right! Jirou was using the cameras to record all of our actions. The question now is 'What was he planning to do with all of those recordings?'. What do you guys think?"

Hana mumbled, "I am not sure but we did see an edited video of what has happened so far. Well… Was he trying to make a video?"

Nao nodded. "It is the only thing you can do with so much footage. You can only edit it and make it into a more concise video. However, the question now becomes 'What was he planning to do with that edited video?'."

The group was stumped with this question. Nao put his hand on his chin as he drowned himself in thoughts. _We know that Jirou wanted to make a video using the recordings of the game. The video was edited down to the most significant events in the game. Monokuma was the bad guy while we were the victims. Our situation was portrayed as full of chaos. Jirou put so much effort into making the video. Why would he put so much effort into making the video?_

Nao shouted, "I got it!"

Then, Takashiro asked, "What is it?"

Nao answered, "Clearly, Jirou made the video not just for personal use. So much of his effort would be wasted if he would only keep it to himself. If that is the case, Jirou wanted to share the video. He wanted people to see it!"

Asuka shouted, "But why? Isn't the game a bit too gross? What will he get from it?"

All of a sudden, Nao realized something. Nao answered, "He is going to use the video as propaganda." Then, he turned to Jirou and asked, "That was what you were planning to do with the video, wasn't it?"

Jirou simply replied saying, "If I was going to use it as a propaganda, what was I trying to push forward?"

With that question, everyone turned silent. _Clearly, it is propaganda. But, for what exactly is it? _Nao turned to everyone else who was deep in their thoughts. Asuka was scratching her head forcing herself to come up with an answer. Hana was silently staring at the floor. Out of nowhere, Takashiro raised his hand and said, "Is it about being remnants of hope vanquishing despair?"

Nao thought about it. _It could be. Certainly, it has something to do with upholding the ideals of the seven pillars. Jirou never said he disagreed with it. He even used the term "upgrade". He just added something. _

Finally, Nao said, "It could be about hope but I am not sure about vanquishing despair."

Hana asked, "Why? When we uphold the ideals of hope, aren't we trying to diminish despair since it is the total opposite of hope?"

Nao nodded. Then, he continued, "I understand what you mean but think about this. If it is truly about battling despair, why hasn't Monokuma said much about it? If I were Jirou, I would have made Monokuma say more about it. But, Jirou didn't. All we got was a video filled with chaos."

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. He turned to Jirou and said, "I think you are trying to promote two things instead of just one."

Takashiro asked, "What is it?"

Nao continued, "The first thing you want to prove is that we are not the bad guys. But more specifically, you are trying to prove our ideals are not bad since that is what we represent in the world. After our crimes, I am sure that people only see us for what we stood for which is the seven pillars of hope and, thanks to Jirou's new code, tyranny."

"How would I even do that?" Jirou asked.

Nao simply answered, "You edited us as the victims; the good guys; the ones who are suffering. With that alone, it can create sympathy for us from the viewers. It can spark a conversation to discuss whether or not we were really the bad guys."

Jirou just brushed it off. Then, Hana asked, "What is the other one?"

Nao answered, "It has something to do about chaos. When you think of tyrants, what do you guys think they do?"

Everyone paused. Hana mumbled, "They force people to follow their directions."

Then, Nao exclaimed, "Hana's right. They make people follow everything they say. What happens when people follow?"

Slowly, Asuka answered, "There is order, right? Since no one is doing whatever the fuck they want, everything is in order."

Nao added, "Not just any kind of order. There was 'order' in society that followed our ideals." He paused and turned to Jirou and said, "With this video, you were trying to push the narrative that us being stripped off of the ideals we once stood for caused chaos. Isn't that right, Jirou?"

Asuka gasped and shouted, "Did we just figure out his whole plan? That is fucking awesome! We are one step closer to bringing him down!" Everyone was pumped up by Asuka's statement, except for Jirou.

Jirou chuckled, waved his hand, and said, "All of you are celebrating too early. Nao, aren't you reading on what I did on the video a bit too much? What about Samuru's last words? He did say things about despair and stuff like that. If the video is not about hope and despair, why would Samuru, my accomplice say those things?"

Nao was stumped by this question. _He has a point. I know what I said is right. He wouldn't be this defensive if it is not true. It is about creating order through stern leadership and strict implementation of the seven pillars. But, Samuru's excuse for helping Jirou make the game does not add up. I have to think about this carefully. Why would Samuru say something so different from Jirou's true intentions? _

Then, it hit him. "I got it!" Nao shouted.

Jirou asked, "What do you have?"

Nao answered, "Samuru is not fully aware of your real plans. You only used him."

"Huh?" Jirou grunted.

Nao continued, "I have been thinking about his execution. He was so confident that he will not get executed. Probably, he was expecting you to spare him. But, why would he expect you to spare him? I had been thinking about it. Then, it hit me. It was because it was different from what you two have planned. He did say he helped in making this game. That probably meant that he had an input in planning the game. I bet he was the one who created the over-the-top executions. It wouldn't be too farfetched since he is the Ultimate Executioner. If he had that much input and his role, according to him, is to kill when no one is willing to kill anymore, you two must have planned what will happen to him during the execution. You promised him he will be saved. That is why he felt betrayed when he could not free himself from the guillotine."

Jirou commented, "Sacrifices are needed to be made. I am willing to kill him to get what I want. If I was willing to kill more than half of you, what makes you think I am not willing to kill my accomplice for the sake of my goal?"

Nao shouted, "That is not entirely true! You were willing to use all of us, including Samuru! You never treated him as an accomplice."

Jirou asked, "If that is true, how would I be able to convince Samuru to help me? How would U be able to manipulate him into helping me make this game?"

Nao smiled and said, "Simple, you used those contracts."

Jirou was shocked by this. Hana asked, "What do you mean by 'those contracts'?"

Nao answered, "Do you guys remember the contracts we found in the office?"

Takashiro answered, "Didn't we find three of those? One was for Isamu, the other two were for two participants of the project."

Nao asked the group, "What did the two mystery contracts include?"

Hana answered, "It said that, whoever those two are, they will be the last line of defense before another tragedy happened."

Nao asked the group, "What if Jirou was able to convince Samuru to create this game as a last line of defense? He must have known about everything being recorded and will be used as propaganda. He must have been told that the video is to push people to choose the seven pillars of hope. However, Jirou must have completely left out the part of pushing the idea of creating order through tyranny."

Jirou sniggered and said, "That does not explain why he was talking about despair."

Nao said, "Actually, it does. Kioshi Sadao created the seven pillars of hope to deter the possibility of having another tragedy. Those principles came from his own experience. He would not create principles that would not be able to defeat the core principles of what it takes to create another tragedy. Naturally, if you think of hope, its negative counterpart is despair. He thought that hope is the one that will be able to beat despair. To make this video as effective propaganda, it had to show what people should be against. You must have manipulated Samuru into becoming the bad guy, at least in the version of the game you told him."

Suddenly, Asuka shouted, "Wait! It is becoming too much for my brain to fucking process everything! Let's get things clear! I will say things one by one and tell me Nao if I am fucking it up."

Nao nodded.

Asuka proceeded, "Jirou manipulated Samuru into helping him." She stopped and looked at Nao. Nao nodded.

Asuka continued, "Jirou told Samuru that they are making the video to promote hope and not despair because that shit is the cause of the first tragedy." Nao told her to continue.

Asuka added, "What Samuru did not know is Jirou planned to glamorize our way of creating order which is straight-up tyranny." Nao approved of what she said.

Lastly, Asuka said, "Samuru helped in planning this game. He did not expect to be fully executed. That is why he acted like he was betrayed before his head was chopped off."

Nao said, "All of what you said is right!" He turned to Jirou. Jirou had his arms crossed. His face was filled with annoyance. _We got you, didn't we?_

Jirou took a deep breath. Then, he said, "Do you really think I could have done this on my own? How would I be able to do all of this without any help? Samuru helped me! He is my accomplice!" Jirou was desperately scrambling to prove he was right.

Unexpectedly, Nao said, "Is he really your only accomplice?"

Jirou was stunned with Nao's question. Everyone turned to Nao. Asuka said, "What do you mean? Someone else is working with him as well? Who is it? I am ready to cut a bitch!"

Nao answered, "Calm down, Roxanne."

"I don't want to calm down! Who is this bitch you are talking about?" Asuka shouted.

Nao shook his head and said, "I am talking about someone who is not here."

"What do you mean by that?" Hana asked.

Nao answered, "Do you guys remember the corrupted video we watched?"

Takashiro answered, "The one with Samuru dragging a girl?"

Nao nodded. Then, he asked, "Did anything stood out to you guys from that video?"

Hana answered, "Nothing really. It was just Samuru dragging a girl and I could totally see him doing it. It looked like a random video."

Nao answered, "Did you guys notice anything other than Samuru? Focus on the girl."

Takashiro responded, "I think she was holding something."

Ecstatic, Nao asked, "What was she holding?"

Asuka answered, "Two flashdrives, a red and a blue one!"

Nao shouted, "That is right! The girl was holding two flashdrives. What do you guys think the red flashdrive contain."

Suddenly, Hana's jaw dropped as she looked at Nao. She exclaimed, "No way! Was the red flashdrive the one we found with the new code that turned us into tyrants?"

Nao simply nodded. "Jirou had help from the beginning. He did not turn all of us into tyrants on his own. If we think about it, Jirou could not have replaced the code on his own. I am assuming all of us go into the pod at the same time. He cannot be in two places at the same time. And, we are just subjects to this project. I think it is fair to assume we are not allowed to tinker with the computers and the codes. Someone else must have done the job. It must be someone who was part of the staff."

Hana replied, "That makes sense. In a way, we are just lab rats in this project. There is no way we could get near the computer."

Jirou stood silent as he glared at Nao. He clenched his fist and said, "If that is the case, what happened to the blue flashdrive? What was she doing with it? It is missing."

Nao replied, "It is not the only thing missing."

Asuka asked, "What? What else is missing?"

Nao looked at Jirou, who was surprised, and said, "The blue flashdrive is missing with Sadao's Algorithm. Your other accomplice used one flashdrive to input a new code and another flashdrive to steal the algorithm. That is the reason why Sadao's Algorithm is missing. Am I wrong, Jirou?"

Jirou stood silent. Everyone was looking at him waiting for him to say something. After a few minutes, he finally let out a snigger. "I cannot believe you found out about that. I really underestimated you."

Hana said, "So, Nao is right?"

Jirou nodded. He had his right arm akimbo and said, "I only used Samuru because of his strength. He was brawny but he was definitely not brainy. I was easily able to deceive him. All I had to do was come up with a story that someone is trying to start another tragedy and we needed to warn the public about it."

Nao asked, "What about your other accomplice? Where is she?"

Jirou answered, "She is out there with the algorithm waiting for my final instruction."

Hana asked, "What are you planning to do with the algorithm?"

Jirou answered, "We plan to make a better world where everyone follows the same principle; where people do not overstep each other for their selfish reasons; where everything is in order. We are so sick and tired of seeing people fight because they have different principles. When we saw the potential of the seven principles of hope, we knew we had to make this world adhere to it accordingly. Finally, we will be able to create a world living in true order. Tell me, am I wrongly motivated?"

Nao answered, "You want to make the world a better place which is not inherently wrong. However, forcing people to follow certain principles through tyranny is wrong. All you are doing is instilling fear. Even if they follow it, it would not be genuine. They will never see the good out of it if they are blinded by fear. Your message will never get to them. The only thing you are doing is creating a shallow order that can be easily destroyed by the suppressed chaos formed through fear. You will never be able to suppress everyone. Even if you succeed in creating the order you want, one day, people will wreak havoc and revolt against you. Then, you will see chaos as you have never seen before."

Jirou simply brushed it off by just chuckling from Nao's words. Then, he said, "I think it is time for you guys to answer the question. 'What is the truth behind the killing game?'"

Nao cleared his throat and said, "Let me answer that question."

* * *

**The Truth Behind The Killing Game**

Kioshi Sadao created a project titled "Project: Remnants Of Hope". He aimed to create a group of ultimates that will serve as role models for everyone to follow. He used Sadao's Algorithm to influence us to change and become role models of the seven pillars of hope which he designed to combat the possibility of having another tragedy.

Everything was going well. We were loved by the public for our actions. We spearheaded several acts of kindness which put us into a positive light. However, it all changed thanks to Jirou Katashi and his unnamed accomplice.

The two decided to, according to Jirou, upgrade the project. They decided to make us enforce the ideals with an iron fist. We became tyrants. We did everything to make sure people followed our ideals. This included public executions of people who were against us including Kioshi Sadao and our loved ones.

Eventually, the government was able to get a hold of us. We surrendered and took a vow of isolation from society. All of us have been imprisoned in this building under the supervision of Isamu Hiroshi, the Ultimate Prison Warden.

While we are living our lives as prisoners, Jirou was able to manipulate Samuru to help him to create a killing game. He tricked him into believing that someone is planning another tragedy. Unknowingly, Samuru helped him make his twisted plan come to life. They executed Isamu Hiroshi and erased our memories for the game to succeed.

During all this time, Jirou had been using the cameras to record the killing game and edit it to become propaganda. He plans to show it to the world and prove that the principles he stands for are right. That is the truth behind the killing game. This is all just a ploy for Jirou to make effective propaganda. Knowing that his accomplice has the Sadao's Algorithm, they have to be stopped before they had the world crumbling in their hands!

* * *

All of a sudden, the quiet Monokuma came back to life. He shouted, "What a nice conclusion for the last trial of the game! You know what time it is! It is time to vote!"

Takashiro asked, "Vote?"

Monokuma answered, "Do you guys forget that this trial's aim is also to find out the true killer of Norio Kurosawa?"

Nao turned to Jirou asked, "What is happening? I don't understand."

Jirou simply answered, "What is there not to understand? It is a trial. It is time to make a decision. Who is guilty of killing Norio Kurosawa?"

Nao was uncomfortable hearing Jirou. _Something is not right. Why does he seem too okay with this? _He looked at Jirou who pressed a button on his podium. _He is voting too? _He looked around and saw that he was the only one left to vote. He looked at the buttons on his podium and voted.

* * *

1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.

2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician**

4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer

5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist

6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact

7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard

8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist

9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist

10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker

11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist

12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer

13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner

14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker

15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney

16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist

* * *

After that, everyone waited for the results. The television screen on top of Monokuma showed a wheel with everyone's name. It started spinning faster and faster until it slowed down and landed on the name of Jirou Katashi. Suddenly, confetti appeared and the results of the voting were displayed.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**Jirou Katashi - 5**

**Answer: Jirou Katashi**

**Correct!**

* * *

_Of course, we are right. But, why did Jirou Katashi voted himself? _He looked at Jirou Katashi who was smiling at the result. _He is too calm for someone whose plan has been discovered. Something is definitely up._

Nao asked, "What are you going to do now?"

Jirou replied, "Do you not remember the rules of this game? I am the blackened and I was exposed. What do you think will happen next?"

Hana said, "You are going to get executed."

Jirou simply nodded.

Takashiro asked, "You are willing to get executed even though this is your game?"

Jirou only nodded again.

Asuka asked, "What are you going to get from that?"

Jirou only looked at her.

_I am fully against Jirou's ideals. Forcing people to change and follow like some dumb dogs is unacceptable. What he did to us is unforgivable. But, I don't want to see another person die._

"You don't have to die, Jirou. There is no need for you to kill yourself. Are you really sacrificing yourself for this?" Nao asked. Everyone was surprised by this.

Hana added, "Even though you are bad, I don't want to see another person dead."

Then, Takashiro added, "Executing you is the same as what we did when you turned us into tyrants."

Asuka shouted, "No matter how much I want to fucking punch the living shit out of you, I agree with everyone. Killing you is pointless. Man up and change."

Nao continued, "You can still change. You can still stop this. I will help you change. There is no need for pointless bloodshed. We won the game and I think it is our turn to impose the punishment. No more Monokuma and his obnoxious laughs. No more executions. What do you say?"

Suddenly, Jirou looked at him. Then, his lips curved into a smile. Immediately, he started laughing.

"What is wrong with him?" Takashiro asked.

Asuka commented, "Stop laughing! You are creepy as fuck right now!"

Finally, Jirou spoke. "Thank you for those kind words! I mean it! Because of that, I finally had the perfect audio clip for the video."

"What are you saying?" Hana asked.

Jirou just shook his head. Then, he looked at Monokuma and shouted, "It's time for my punishment, the last clip I need for my video."

Nao shouted, "What is going on? Why are you still talking about the video? You are about to get executed. You will not be able to finish your video!"

Jirou sniggered. He had his right arm akimbo and rolled his eyes. Then, he said, "You still don't get it, do you? Who said I am the one who will finish the video?"

After that, Monokuma put out his gavel. A red button appeared in front of him. Then, he hit it with the gavel. Suddenly, a clamp appeared and dragged Jirou out of the room.

"Wait! Stop the execution! We won the trial! The game is over!" Nao shouted.

Monokuma laughed and said, "Twerp, the trial is not yet over until the punishment is given. Have you ever watched crime and law dramas? The guilty always get the punishment before the trial is dismissed."

* * *

**GAME OVER**

**Jirou Katashi has been found guilty**

* * *

**A Tyrant's Final Speech**

**Jirou Katashi**

**The Proud Tyrant's Execution**

**-Used-**

Jirou was standing in the middle of the stage in front of a swarm of Monokumas holding banners showing support to his cause. Jirou had a bear trap around his neck with his arms tied behind his back. Proudly, he looked at the crowd.

Then, Jirou started speaking. "I, Jirou Katashi, have never been more proud of my rule as a tyrant. I am proud of the order I have created even if it was only for a while. To see people finally observe the principles that can unify society was a dream come true.

To my friends and supporters, do not fear. Even though we were criticized, it will never stop us. People say we are radicals but they do not understand. They are too ignorant to admit that they need help; that they need us to correct them.

Do not worry. I am replaceable. Someone will eventually fill up my spot. I am only one person. Out there, someone also has the same voice and ideas. I will be counting on that person finish the fight I have started."

He turned to the camera and started speaking again. "As you can see, even though this is my final act; my swan song; my last hurrah, it is only the beginning of a much bigger plan. It is only my life that will be ending. The fight is not yet over."

Then, he raised his right hand and shouted, "Change is coming! The Regime is here!"

Suddenly, the bear trap closed and has finally crushed Jirou's head. Blood spewed everywhere. Then, his body fell to the floor.

* * *

The four remaining students were speechless. Takashiro vomited as soon as Jirou's head was crushed. Hana quickly rushed to his side. Asuka shouted, "What the fuck was that? What is The Regime? I just felt my whole body shivered from hearing that delusional speech." All of a sudden, Monokuma turned off. It fell to the floor and was destroyed.

"The game is over…" Hana said as she continued to caress Takashiro's back.

_It is over but Jirou's plan is not. I need to do something, quick. _Nao turned around and saw the door. Suddenly, he bolted out. Asuka shouted, "Where are you going?"

Nao simply answered, "Follow me!" Everyone, including the pale Takashiro, scrambled to get to the elevator. After the ride, they ran to the fourth floor. Then, Nao led the group to the room filled with monitors. Immediately, he rushed towards the laptop. Then, he opened it.

"What are you looking for?" Hana asked.

"A list of Isamu's contacts… There must be a way for Isamu to communicate outside." Nao answered.

Eventually, he found a software that allowed him to send an email. He looked through the contacts and selected all of them. _I hope at least one of them will be able to do something. _Then, he attached the file of the edited video they found earlier. After that, Nao typed the following:

* * *

Help! Isamu is dead and only four of us are alive. Jirou Katashi created a killing game and has recorded everything as you can see in the video. He is planning to use it as propaganda. Before he died, he revealed to us he is working with someone outside and will be finishing this video. They will probably broadcast it. We do not want another group of people to make the same mistake that we did. Please, stop them! The world does not need another version of us.

-Nao Hisoka, Asuka Kiyora, Hana Ongaku, Takashiro Tanoshi

* * *

After that, Nao hit send. Then, Hana asked, "What do you think will happen next?"

Nao answered, "I don't know. It might be the end of our game but the real battle is definitely just starting."

* * *

**Our Truth**

**-END-**

**Remaining Survivors: 4**

**1\. Nao Hisoka - Ultimate N.E.E.T.**

**2\. Umeko Midori - Ultimate Environmentalist(DECEASED)**

**3\. Jirou Katashi - Ultimate Mathematician****(DECEASED)**

**4\. Reyes de Todos los Santos de Borbon Ortiz - Ultimate Fencer****(DECEASED)**

**5\. Jitsunori Setsunosuke - Ultimate Hairstylist****(DECEASED)**

**6\. Kayle Ito - Ultimate Tact****(DECEASED)**

**7\. Ichimako Watadzumi - Ultimate Lifeguard****(DECEASED)**

**8\. Manon Aida - Ultimate Cyclist****(DECEASED)**

**9\. Takashiro Tanoshi - Ultimate Ventriloquist**

**10\. Eri Shizuka - Ultimate Toymaker****(DECEASED)**

**11\. Ayumu Watanabe - Ultimate Mythologist****(DECEASED)**

**12\. Hana Ongaku - Ultimate Composer**

**13\. Samuru Yagyuu - Ultimate Executioner****(DECEASED)**

**14\. Asuka Kiyora - Ultimate Rocker**

**15\. Norio Kurosawa - Ultimate Defense Attorney****(DECEASED)**

**16\. Rei Kurosawa - Ultimate Supernatural Novelist****(DECEASED)**

**17\. Isamu Hiroshi – Ultimate Prison Warden****(DECEASED)**

**Death Toll: 13**

* * *

**That is it! Don't worry! It is not yet over! There is still an epilogue!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this!**


	50. Epilogue

**Here is the epilogue! Aaaaahhhh! I cannot believe this is the last update for this story!**

* * *

A week has passed since the end of the killing game. They are not anymore woken up by the unwanted morning announcements by Monokuma. No one has given them a new motive to kill. The remaining four students are finally able to live peacefully.

It was a fine afternoon when the four are casually eating snacks in the garden. The group was sitting where they had their first picnic there. They had a blanket to sit on. Nao had just baked a fresh batch of cookies while Asuka made them refreshments. The cool wind brushed their skin as they enjoyed the peace they have been yearning since the game started.

Munching on the cookies, Asuka shouted, "This is the best day ever!"

Hana giggled and said, "You have been shouting that every single day since Monokuma disappeared."

Asuka replied, "What? Every day keeps getting better and better!"

Hana could not disagree with Asuka. All she could do was nod. Then, she turned to Takashiro who was playing with his puppets.

"Is that Shizu-nyan?" Hana asked.

Takashiro replied using Shizu-nyan. "Hi, Hana… I-I-I hope you are having a-a-a wonderful d-d-day!"

Hana replied, "Of course, I am. Any day is wonderful without that stupid bear."

Then, Takashiro pointed at Honey that was sitting beside Nao. "A-A-Are you talking about Honey?"

Hana shook her head and said, "No, I am talking about Monokuma."

The three continued conversing while Nao stayed silent. He was fidgeting with the necklace Umeko gave him before her execution. _I guess this is our reality now. We are stuck in here forever. I will never be able to set foot outside of this building. But at least, I have these amazingly talented people by my side._

Nao did not realize that he was smiling at them as he watched the three laugh with each other. Then, Asuka turned to him and asked, "Why are you so quiet?"

Nao was surprised and said, "Was I quiet?"

Asuka nodded.

Nao replied, "I am sorry about that. What were you guys talking about?"

Hana answered, "We were just talking about how fun it would be to transform Roxanne into a proper lady."

Asuka screamed, "Nao, help me! They want to dress me into a gown! A fucking gown! I will never shit like that ever. It is too formal! I am a rebel, a rocker! Rock on!"

Nao chuckled as he listened to Asuka. Then, he replied, "I would not mind seeing you glammed up."

Asuka shouted, "Traitor!"

Nao said, "How about this. Let them transform you into an elegant woman in exchange for transforming one of them into a rockstar. Does that sound cool to you?"

Asuka gasped and said, "Shit! I am all in for that!" Then, she pointed at Hana and said, "Get ready to become a rocker, bitch!"

The group continued with their light-hearted conversation. Eventually, their picnic was over. The group made their way to the first floor. On their way, they filled the hollow halls with their boisterous laughs. They may have been only a few but it was the first time in a long time since the building was filled with carefree laughs.

Once they made it to the first floor, they noticed something. They went near the front door and saw it was being unbolted from the outside.

"What is happening here?" Asuka shouted.

The metal plate that was covering the whole door was about to fall. Nao shouted, "Get back!"

The group quickly took a step backward. All of a sudden, the plate fell to the floor creating a loud, almost deafening, thud.

"Someone's opening the door." Hana said as the door slowly opened.

Eventually, the door was fully opened to reveal a tall woman. She had brown eyes, blonde hair tied into a ponytail, and a fair skin complexion. She was wearing a green camouflage suit. It was adorned by medals and patches. She was also wearing a green beret to match the suit and army boots. Around her waist was a holster holding a pistol.

Behind the woman was a battalion of soldiers with guns in their hands pointing it at them. The group froze from where they stood. Takashiro tugged Nao's jacket and asked, "What are we going to do?"

Nao simply answered, "Stay still. Nobody moves."

Out of nowhere, the woman shouted, "Put your hands in the air where I can see them!"

Everyone immediately followed. The group was anticipating the woman's next order. Then, the woman shouted, "Take them!"

The group of soldiers quickly approached them. One by one, they were handcuffed. Asuka shouted, "What is happening? Are you guys taking us to real prison?"

Everyone was searching for an answer. They were pushed into a van that was outside the building. They were finally outside the building which they have wanted since the beginning of the game. They have always wanted to get out but now they are. However, they are not totally free. They are handcuffed anxiously waiting for what fate has in store for them.

* * *

**That is it! This is the end! I cannot believe this is the end. **

**I want to thank everyone who has supported this story. First, I want to thank the ones who have submitted a character**** including those whose characters were not accepted. Thank you for showing interest in my story. It is what motivated me to truly start writing the story. I want to thank those who have been reading my story. I hope you enjoyed the journey you took in reading this story. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I want to thank my friends who are part of the discord server for this story. You have been nothing but supportive to me. Your kind words and constructive criticisms really helped me write this story. Lastly, I want to thank my best friend, Gwyneth, who has been proofreading this story from day one. Thank you for being so enthusiastic to read. Your input really helped me finetune this story.**

**Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has been reading this story. **

**I hope you enjoyed this story.**

**And, for one last time for this story...**

**Good luck to all of us!**


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